New York City has lost 100,000 apartments because people in rich neighborhoods keep combining units

• New York City is facing down a housing shortage, all while some apartments disappear.
• Around 50,000 multi-family row houses have been consolidated to become one- or two-family homes.
• Combining apartments isn't necessarily a bad thing, but is concerning during a housing shortage.

New York City, famed for its residents stacked upon each other, is actually quietly losing density in some places — and you can blame people expanding their apartments.