Executive actions signed last week will help increase housing supply and create affordable units, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday.
Actions will prioritize over $650 million in State discretionary funds going to pro-housing communities.
“We’re changing how we’re going to do business, and we’re sending a very simple message that communities that do their part to build housing will get priority for funding over those who will not,” Hochul said. “How do you like that?”
“I will not wait, this neighborhood will not wait, and the State of New York will not wait” Hochul said. “So, I’m going to do everything I can within my powers, using every tool I can find, the ones I’m announcing today and the ones we haven’t even thought of yet.
“We’re going to jumpstart housing now. And any legislator who wants to be a part of the solution, who shares this vision and this sense of urgency, I believe you’ll be rewarded by your constituents because they want you to step up on their behalf.”
Hochul announced several executive actions including:
- a program to advance residential projects halted by the expiration of 421-A that include affordable housing in the Gowanus neighborhood in Brooklyn
- establishing preference in certain discretionary funding programs for localities across the state that comply with a new “Pro-Housing Community” certification process
- a new requirement that all State entities identify the potential for their state-owned lands to support housing;
- regulatory initiatives to identify opportunities for greater efficiencies to promote housing growth;
- launch of the beta version of a new, interactive portal to collect and share community-level housing and zoning data and information on an ongoing basis.
“So, rebirth has happened here,” Hochul said. “And in my opinion, this entire community is poised for rebirth as well, a rebirth that embraces my vision for housing because where some see neglect, I see neighborhoods. Where some see blight, I see beauty. Where some see pavement, I see parks. And where some see a hellhole, I see homes.”
Hochul emphasized the housing “crisis” is worse than a “shortage”.
“But I still believe that we need a comprehensive solution to meet the scale of this housing crisis,” she said. “New Yorkers need houses built now. And we’re going to start driving down the cost because guess what? It is basic supply and demand. You build more housing, the prices drop, and we have not been building, and the prices are going up and it’s hurting our residents.”
Tackling the crisis is about encouraging housing production from Brookhaven to Brooklyn to Buffalo, she said, and the plan is to get there one step at a time.
So also, we’re going to require communities to share data, share their housing and growth and zoning data so we can identify and track their progress. Don’t just tell me you’re going to do it. I’m going to check up on you and make sure it gets done. So very simply, towns and cities and communities will have priority over those who do not.
Hochul said the goal is “the same growth targets we talked about before. I don’t think it’s asking too much to have three percent growth over three years. If you do the math, that’s one percent a year. It’s not that much. It’s doable. Upstate communities, one percent.”
Pro-housing communities will get special consideration for major state initiatives like the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the New York Forward Program, the Regional Council Capital Fund, the New York Main Street Program, the New York Market Grants, the Long Island Momentum Fund, the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund and the Public Transportation Fund.
