New York Housing Conference joined with New York’s leading advocates and experts related to affordable and supportive housing to send a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie calling for the passage of legislation (S.2193/A.3807, sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Member Steven Cymbrowitz) that would require the creation of an affordable housing five-year capital plan.
The need is urgent. Households in every community across New York continue to struggle with housing insecurity resulting from a statewide shortage of affordable and supportive housing. The letter lays out four reasons why a five-year plan is good policy right now.
- It has minimal short-term budget impact
- It is sound fiscal policy
- It creates jobs
- Interest rates are low while bond ratings are high
Taken together and coupled with the severity and urgency of New York’s longstanding affordable and supportive housing shortage, it is clear that a commitment to a new multi-year housing plan right now is both morally necessary and prudent policy.
You can read the letter here. The letter was signed by the following organizations:
AARP New York
Center for NYC Neighborhoods
CSH
Enterprise Community Partners
LeadingAge New York
LISC NYC
LiveOn NY
New York Housing Conference
New York State Association for Affordable Housing
New York State Public Housing Authorities Directors Association
New York State Rural Advocates
Supportive Housing Network of New York
Rural Housing Coalition