What is a Quality Residential Structure and what does it have to do with my property?

QRS is a new zoning category from the City of Yes amendment (est December 5, 2024). If your lot qualifies, you now have as-of-right permission to build a 3–5 story apartment building where before you were limited to a house or small walk-up. It doesn't change what you're doing today, but it changes what a developer will pay for your land.

My property is in an R3 district, did City of Yes change what I can build on my lot?

Possibly yes. If your lot is 5,000+ sq. ft., fronts a wide street or sits at the short end of a block, and is inside the Greater Transit Zone, you now qualify for QRS. That means you can build at up to 2.0 FAR instead of R3's much lower baseline, roughly double the buildable floor area.

How close to a subway or bus stop does my property need to be to qualify for QRS?

There's no set distance like "500 feet from a station." QRS requires your lot to be inside the Greater Transit Zone, which is a mapped boundary published by NYC City Planning. Being near a subway doesn't guarantee you're in it, you need to check your specific address against the map at DCP's website.

What can actually be built under QRS that couldn't be built before?

Before December 2024, an R3 or R4 lot near transit was basically limited to 1–2 family homes. QRS unlocks as-of-right multifamily apartment buildings, 3 to 5 stories at up to 2.0 FAR. Parking is also waived for buildings under 75 units, which makes the construction economics work a lot better.

Does QRS eligibility automatically increase my property's value?

Not automatically in an appraisal sense, but practically yes — a developer willing to build a multifamily will pay more than one limited to a 2-family house. QRS eligibility expands your buyer pool and changes your "highest and best use," which is the primary driver of land value in development scenarios. The actual premium depends on the specific lot, neighborhood, construction costs, and market conditions at the time of sale.

How do I find out if my specific lot qualifies for QRS?

Check four things: (1) your zoning district on NYC's Zoning Map (zola.planning.nyc.gov) must be R3, R4, or R5; (2) your lot area, must be at least 5,000 sq. ft.; (3) your street must be a wide street (75+ ft.) or on the short block dimension (under 230 ft.); and (4) your location relative to the Greater Transit Zone using DCP's published dataset. A zoning attorney or architect can confirm and run preliminary FAR calculations.

Is QRS the same as an ADU (accessory dwelling unit)?

No. ADUs are small secondary units added to an existing property, a basement apartment, backyard cottage, etc. QRS is a separate provision that allows full-scale multifamily development as the primary use of a lot. They address different scales of housing production and have different eligibility criteria.

Does a developer need special approval to build a QRS, or is it as-of-right?

It's as-of-right. A qualifying lot doesn't require a variance, special permit, or ULURP review. The developer files with the Department of Buildings and meets the zoning envelope, same process as any compliant new construction. This is a key reason QRS matters: certainty and speed of approval make development economics work better.

How does QRS change what a developer will pay for a low-density lot?

A developer prices land based on what they can build and what that building will be worth. Before QRS, a developer buying your R3 lot was underwriting a 2-family house or small walk-up. Under QRS, they're underwriting a 3–5 story apartment building with 2x+ the floor area. More buildable square footage = more units = more revenue = more they can pay for land. This is the direct mechanism by which QRS eligibility raises a lot's market value in the development market.

What is the difference between QRS eligibility and a full rezoning of my property?

A rezoning changes your district designation through a public land use review (ULURP) — takes 12–18+ months, requires community board, borough president, City Planning Commission, and City Council approval, with no guaranteed outcome. QRS eligibility operates within your existing zoning district. Your district hasn't changed; the rules that apply to your already-zoned lot have changed. No public review is required, and the enhanced rights are already in effect.

Edge case: My property is in an R2 district on a transit corridor, does QRS apply?

No. QRS eligibility requires the site to be in an R3, R4, or R5 district. R1 and R2 districts are explicitly excluded. Even if your R2 lot is near a subway and meets the lot size and street frontage criteria, it does not qualify for QRS enhanced FAR. Your lot may still benefit from other COYHO provisions (such as ADU legalization in certain R2 areas within the Greater Transit Zone), but QRS is not available.

Edge case: I own a corner lot in a low-density zone, does that affect my QRS eligibility or development potential?

Potentially yes, in a favorable way. Corner lots typically front two streets, making it more likely that at least one frontage meets the wide street requirement (75+ ft.). The two-street exposure can also improve building design flexibility and may increase the site's attractiveness to developers. QRS eligibility is still determined lot-by-lot based on all four criteria, but corner lots in eligible districts and within the Greater Transit Zone are worth evaluating carefully, they often represent the strongest QRS candidates.