Columbia holds five “vacant or underutilized” properties prime for inclusive housing development, according to a “Housing Manhattanites” report that Borough President Mark Levine released on Tuesday.

As Manhattan faces a crisis of affordability, the report advises that 171 sites be redeveloped to create 73,000 new homes. The University—the only private owner identified by name in the 88-page plan—owns sites at 5094 Broadway, 3270 Broadway, 3300 Broadway, 410 W. 115th St., and 553 W. 133rd St., which the report says together could produce 849 homes—with 212 units of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents. Four of the Columbia-owned properties are currently used for parking, and none host ongoing plans to meet the 25 percent affordable housing commitment outlined in the report.

“We’re reviewing the report and look forward to working with the Borough President, his team, and other stakeholders on solutions for the affordable housing challenges in Manhattan,” a University spokesperson wrote in a statement to Spectator.

Collaboration with local stakeholders like community boards, city agencies, and developers is a key facet of the report that Levine emphasized in his State of the Borough address on Tuesday. Among the local efforts highlighted in the plan was the Morningside Heights Community Coalition’s planning study. Designed and released by MHCC in 2021, the rezoning proposal seeks to maintain neighborhood affordability and character in face of growing luxury development.

MHCC President Dave Robinson said Levine’s report was a promising step in what has been years of work to improve affordability in the neighborhood. In the past two years, Morningside Heights has gained two luxury towers with over 40 stories—the Vanderwater and Claremont Hall—but zero units of affordable housing.

“It’s great that [Levine is] focusing on housing, which is a critical issue for New Yorkers, and especially people in Morningside Heights and in West Harlem,” Robinson said. “Within Morningside Heights … a lot of the focus tends to be around Columbia because Columbia owns so much of the housing, so we’ve been trying to get Columbia to take more responsibility for doing something about housing issues.”

Robinson and MHCC have been in negotiations with Columbia to include community housing in their developments for years, with little progress. The University’s  residential building at 600 W. 125th St., which is currently undergoing construction, lies in the center of this housing controversy, as it remains without plans for affordable housing despite community pushback.

In the past year, MHCC released a report outlining Columbia’s role in addressing the housing shortage, and held two protests against the University’s continued lack of affordable housing commitments. Most recently, MHCC met with Columbia to discuss the issue last week, but was told the University would not make a final decision until the new University president took office, Robinson said.

“We are hopeful that with the new administration there will be changes,” Robinson said.

Beyond the Columbia-owned properties, the report also identifies two public West Harlem  sites for housing development, proposing a combined 444 units with 100 percent affordability.

David Hanzal, Community Board 9 housing, land use, and zoning committee co-chair, said that though the plan demonstrates a much needed change in policy, the 25 percent affordability proposal for Columbia-owned sites will do little to solve the shortage.

“I agree with [the report] that the rents are staggering, they’re ridiculous,” Hanzal, who also serves as president of the Manhattanville Tenants Association, said. “It’s a step in the right direction, but, to me, it doesn’t go far enough. It’s more like throwing peanuts to the squirrels.”

As local agencies like MHCC and CB9 continue to address the ongoing affordability concerns in the neighborhood, Robinson said he hopes Columbia and the borough president’s office will be part of the solution.

“Building new housing, especially new housing that includes or is entirely affordable housing is critical … and [Levine has] made some constructive suggestions,” Robinson said. “I look forward to working with him to make some of this happen.”