Mamdani Aims to Finally Free NYC Streets of Unnecessary Sidewalk Sheds

The last two New York City mayors vowed to dismantle sidewalk sheds that have been shading the city’s streets for years, and Zohran Mamdani is no exception.

Mamdani announced a plan Friday that could remove protective sidewalk coverings and scaffolding from 40 buildings in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) portfolio, while also shifting requirements so that sidewalk sheds don’t go up in the first place, depending on the property.

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is preparing new guidelines to reduce the amount of covering needed above sidewalks at certain sites and the number of façade inspections at low-risk buildings through reforms to Local Law 11, according to the administration.

“In the greatest city in the world, we should not accept darkened sidewalks and covered walkways as a fact of life,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Our administration’s investments in shed removal and regulations to shed placement will deliver a more livable city by not just repairing NYCHA’s buildings but ensuring all New Yorkers can enjoy light and fresh air when they step outside.”

In the final months of his administration, former Mayor Eric Adams released new designs for sidewalk sheds by the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism and design firm Arup. The plans were part of his “Get Sheds Down” initiative and called for more light and air in the sidewalk sheds to reduce the number of unsightly scaffoldings.

Currently, NYCHA is using $650 million in state and federal funding to complete repairs to permit the removal of sidewalk sheds.

Some buildings require sidewalk sheds to extend out to a length equal to half the height of the building. The Mamdani administration plans to cap that obligation to 40 feet from the facade.

Issues with facade inspections and perennial sidewalk sheds have galled city leaders and lawmakers for decades.

The prevalence of sidewalk sheds throughout the city began with Mayor Michael Bloomberg under Local Law 11, which expanded the circumstances under which a covering to protect pedestrians from falling debris would be required.

But with sidewalk sheds being cheaper than facade repairs, many sheds remained in place indefinitely. In some locations, sidewalk sheds were installed decades ago and still stand.

Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged to remove many sidewalk sheds early in his term, and his administration allocated $111 million to pull them down around NYCHA buildings at the end of his time in office.

Then in 2019, falling debris from a building killed architect Erica Tishman, forcing the city to consider all options for preventing further injury in balance with reducing the number of sidewalk sheds.

At the time, city officials even considered using drones for building inspections, but were blocked by another law from 1948. The topic even made the rounds in the 2021 mayoral election.

As of March 2025, there were an estimated 8,400 sidewalk sheds extending across roughly 400 miles of New York City streets. Up to $400 million in repairs have been completed at NYCHA complexes at more than 200 buildings to date, the Mamdani administration said, but it’s unclear over what period of time that has been underway.

Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.