All five ballot proposals put forward by the New York City Charter Revision Commission (COGE) passed in the Nov. 3 election. The outdoor dining application period will shrink from eight months to two, 40 types of building permits will be consolidated in one place, and the city will set a rainy day fund target of 12% of tax revenue.
In the election on the 3rd, New York City voters approved all five proposed City Charter amendments. According to the Mayor's Office, more than 1 million voters cast ballots in favor of each proposal. The amendments were drafted by the Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE, the 2026 New York City Charter Revision Commission), appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and focus on speeding up city administration, from restaurant outdoor operating permits to building permits and the city's fiscal reserves.
Proposals 1 and 2 directly affect restaurants and small businesses
Proposal 1 cuts the outdoor dining application process by 75%, shortening the processing time from the previous eight months to two months. The city said each establishment could save up to $1,800 in application costs. Approval times for entrance accessibility features such as wheelchair ramps and lifts will also be shortened by about two months. Proposal 2 reduces the administrative burden on small businesses and nonprofits that contract with the city, shortening the contracting process by up to 30 days.
Bike lanes, housing permits and the rainy day fund
Proposal 3 speeds up road safety projects, including bike lanes, by at least 33%, and allows the city to raise more than $200 million in revenue by selling city-owned remnant parcels and unused air rights of city-owned landmark buildings. Proposal 4 aims to speed up housing production by consolidating 40 types of building-related approvals, previously scattered across 18 departments and agencies, into a single window. Proposal 5 sets a target of 12% of the city's total tax revenue for its rainy day fund.
In a statement right after the votes were counted, Mayor Mamdani said, "New Yorkers voted for a government that moves as fast as they do," adding, "Now the work remains to turn these votes into real results." This summer, the commission held 10 public hearings across the five boroughs, heard from more than 1,200 residents, and finalized its proposals in July.