Long Island City has been talked about as a neighborhood in transition for years. But what is happening right now, in the spring of 2026, is different — it is not a conversation anymore. The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan, approved by the New York City Council in November 2025 as the largest rezoning in more than two decades, is moving from paper into concrete action. For Queens residents — whether you live in Long Island City, neighboring Astoria, or anywhere in the borough — here is what the plan actually means and what is already in motion.

What the OneLIC Plan Is

The OneLIC Neighborhood Plan rezones approximately 54 blocks in Long Island City to allow for the creation of nearly 15,000 new homes, including 4,350 units that will be permanently affordable through the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing rules. The rezoned area is bounded roughly by the East River waterfront and the blocks stretching inland toward Court Square and Hunters Point.

Every private development built on newly rezoned land must set aside between 20 and 25 percent of units as affordable housing, with apartments reserved for households earning up to 40 or 60 percent of the Area Median Income depending on the site. The city has also committed to developing 1,000 affordable units on public land within the rezoning area itself.

The total public investment accompanying the plan is substantial: the city made over $2 billion in commitments tied to the OneLIC approval. That money covers schools, parks, waterfront infrastructure, transit improvements, and affordable housing construction on city-owned sites.

What Is Happening Right Now in 2026

With the plan now approved, the implementation phase has begun. Here is what is actively in motion as of spring 2026:

Schools: Nearly $310 million has been committed to fund two new elementary schools in the rezoning area. One school, delivering 594 seats, is planned at a site near Hunters Point; a second 600-seat school is planned at 5-46 46th Avenue near Anable Basin. Both are targeted to open in the 2027 and 2028 school years respectively — meaning families with young children in LIC should be watching the city’s School Construction Authority announcements closely.

Waterfront: The plan includes construction of a continuous public waterfront esplanade connecting Gantry Plaza State Park all the way north to Queensbridge Park. For LIC residents who already use the waterfront, this closes the gaps in what has been a patchwork of accessible and inaccessible stretches of the East River shoreline.

ConEd Infrastructure: One of the less-publicized but critical elements of the plan involves the power grid. ConEd was expected to submit a petition to the Public Service Commission by December 2025 to address electrical infrastructure needed for the density increase. The city is expected to select a design consultant by June 2026 — a milestone Queens residents and community advocates should watch for as confirmation the infrastructure upgrade is moving.

Development activity: With the zoning changes now in effect, developers with sites in the rezoned 54-block area can begin the permitting and design process. Expect building permit applications to the NYC Department of Buildings to increase substantially through 2026 and 2027 as projects move into design development. Real estate listings and development site sales in Long Island City have already reflected the rezoning in asking prices.

Community Benefits Beyond Housing

The OneLIC plan includes a workforce development program for local residents, a city study on the future of the Bedford Atlantic Armory, which currently operates as a men’s shelter, and $215 million specifically committed to street safety improvements, traffic calming, and upgrades to the Franklin Avenue C/Shuttle subway station and surrounding areas.

Parks and open space are also part of the package, with new and renovated parks planned for the rezoning area, plus tenant and legal services funding for residents navigating displacement pressure as the neighborhood’s desirability increases.

What You Need to Know

• 54 blocks of Long Island City are now rezoned for residential development. If you own property in the affected area, your site may now be eligible for significantly taller and denser development than was previously allowed. Consult the NYC ZoLa map at zola.planning.nyc.gov to check your specific lot.
• 4,350 permanently affordable units are required under the plan. These units will be allocated through the NYC Housing Connect lottery system. Keep an eye on NYC Affordable Housing Lotteries — new listings from LIC developments will start appearing as projects complete financing and begin construction.
• Two new schools are coming but not yet open. If you have a child entering kindergarten in the next two years, the new schools in Hunters Point and near Anable Basin will not be ready. Plan accordingly using current enrollment zones, and watch the School Construction Authority’s website for milestone updates.
• ConEd infrastructure is the thing to watch. Large-scale rezoning is only as good as the power and utilities that support it. The June 2026 design consultant selection is the next major infrastructure milestone — if it slips, it could signal delays downstream.
• Displacement pressure is real. LIC and neighboring Astoria are already among Queens’ most expensive rental markets. Tenant legal services funding is part of the plan, but if you are a renter in the rezoning area and receiving pressure from your landlord, contact the Queens Legal Services office at 718-657-8611 or visit queenslegalservices.org.
• For context on Queens’ broader cost landscape, see our guide: NYC 311 Decoder: Queens Leads City in Illegal Dumping and Sanitation Complaints.

The Bigger Picture for Queens

OneLIC is the most ambitious single neighborhood rezoning Queens has seen in a generation. Done well, it could add tens of thousands of permanent residents to Long Island City with meaningful affordability protections, new schools, and a continuous public waterfront. Done poorly — if infrastructure lags, displacement accelerates, or affordable units get watered down in practice — it risks repeating the pattern of Queens rezonings that promised affordability and delivered luxury high-rises.

The community benefits in this plan are more robust than most. But the only thing that makes those commitments stick is residents staying engaged — attending Community Board 2 Queens meetings (which take place monthly at 43-22 50th Street, Woodside), watching the permit filings, and holding elected officials accountable to the timelines they committed to when they voted yes on this plan.

Long Island City is changing. The question now is whether it changes in a way that works for the people already here.