Historic Investment in Housing Will Fundamentally Address New York’s Housing, Homelessness Crisis
New York City Public Advocate and candidate for Governor Jumaane Williams today released his plan to transform New York state’s housing landscape by providing historic investments in the creation and preservation of one million high quality, permanently affordable housing units for all New Yorkers. Read the full plan here.
“Housing is a human right, and housing and homelessness need to be a top priority for anyone who wants to lead our state,” said Jumaane Williams of his plan. "Governor Hochul’s housing strategy is woefully inadequate to meet the scale of the housing crisis, the depth of need, that decades of corporate giveaways have helped to create. Development shouldn’t be driven by donors, it should center the needs of New Yorkers struggling as rents rise and communities are displaced. We can’t just tinker at the edges on issues of this magnitude and importance in people’s lives – we need to build new systems that work for all.”
As detailed in his Housing for All platform, a Williams Administration will reestablish the mission of Empire State Development (ESD)-- which has a long history of providing corporate subsidies under the guise of economic development – to become an agency that directly benefits communities by developing a network of democratically controlled, publicly-owned, publicly-financed and publicly-built housing units available to all people at a range of income levels across the state, with rent capped at 30% of a household’s income.
Housing under the revamped agency will create a robust public set of quality, eco-friendly, permanently affordable housing, where buildings are managed by cooperatives or tenant unions -- not developers who can raise rent at free will. By flooding the marketplace with the vast addition of quality affordable housing units, real estate developers and landlords across the state will finally have significant competition, which will create real choice for working families and lower rents throughout the city and state.
At least 20,000 units will be set aside as supportive housing for those experiencing homelessness, substance use, or mental health struggles, or those returning home from incarceration. To further address New York’s housing and homelessness crisis, Jumaane’s Housing for All plan will also:
- Strengthen protections for tenants to stave off evictions and small homeowners to have relief from foreclosures. Advocate for the immediate passage of legislation including statewide good cause eviction, ability for tenants the right to form a union, and improved safety regulations and safety enforcement of apartment buildings.
- Improve oversight and transparency of public housing, working closely with federal partners to finally upgrade New York’s public housing.
- Institute major property tax reform to reduce the burdens of working families and the middle class across New York through increased income taxes on millionaires and billionaires.
“When I’m talking to New Yorkers, the number one issue that they raise is the housing affordability crisis,” said Ana María Archila, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor and Jumaane’s running mate. “Our state has failed to prioritize housing as a basic human right and ensure that every New Yorker has a safe, affordable home. Instead, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor posts have been used to advance enormous giveaways to real estate developers and corporations under the guise of economic development. Our state needs leaders willing to chart a new course, and Jumaane’s plan offers a roadmap to keep tenants in their homes, build new affordable housing, and tackle homelessness. I’m excited to help him present it to tenants and homeowners across the state.”
Jumaane’s full Housing For All plan can be downloaded here, and was applauded by leading housing advocates and community organizations across the state:
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