Page 8 - The Indian EYE 081525

COMMUNITY OP-ED AUGUST 08, 2025 | The Indian Eye 8

Building, Preserving, and Planning

426,000+ Units of Housing to Make

Our City More Affordable

Thanks to historic investments and a relentless focus across our entire city government,

our administration has shattered affordable housing records year after year

ERIC ADAMS

hen I came into office, af-
fordable housing was at
Wthe top of my agenda, and
I didn’t need any studies or polls to
tell me why. New Yorkers were telling
me every day, every chance they got. I
heard it at the store, on the street, and
in the subway; I heard it from young “Housing Week” represented more than just the records we’ve broken or the progress we’re making every day;
adults and seniors; I heard it from the it represented our commitment to every New Yorker
Bronx to Staten Island.
For me, this work is personal. records year after year. Now, we’re most pro-housing administration in build more family-sized units. Lots of
Growing up on the edge of homeless- adding another “year” to that list: Fis- New York City history! older New Yorkers want to live with
ness, I know what it feels like to worry cal Year 2025. This past fiscal year, we But we know there is always more their adult children or live-in aids, and
about whether or not you will have a produced the most affordable rental to do. That’s why I issued a historic ex- with this new policy, we will help them
roof over your head at night. That’s units in city history and the most homes ecutive order last year requiring every do it. No matter how old you are or
a feeling that too many New Yorkers for formerly homeless New Yorkers, agency to identify city-owned sites what job you have, our administra-
still feel, and that’s because too many too. We placed a record number of that can become much-needed hous- tion wants every New Yorker to find a
administrations have kicked the can homeless New Yorkers into afford- ing, and last week, we announced our place they call home.
down on the road when it came to able homes and connected a historic vision to turn one of those sites, an “Housing Week” represented
dealing with our housing crisis. When number of people to affordable hous- abandoned airport in Queens, into more than just the records we’ve
I came into office, I was clear that I ing through our city’s housing lottery. 3,000 new homes. From old office broken or the progress we’re making
was not going to let our administra- And — for the first time — we buildings to sanitation garages, we are every day; it represented our commit-
tion continue to make excuses or tin- revealed that when you put together turning the outdated properties of the ment to every New Yorker. Our ad-
ker around the edges. all of housing initiatives, our admin- past into the homes of the future. ministration has focused relentlessly
We brought a whole new ap- istration has created, preserved, or We’re creating more homes and on creating more homes, connecting
proach to housing, using every tool at planned over 426,000 homes for New we’re helping connect more people to more people to homes, and helping
every level of government to create Yorkers. This includes homes we’ve those homes. To do that, last week, we keep more people in the homes they
new homes across the entire city. Last already built and homes we will build also announced that we will double already have — it’s what New Yorkers
week, during “Housing Week,” we soon thanks to historic initiatives like the percentage of affordable homes need, and it’s what they deserve. That
showcased our success and laid out “City of Yes,” the first citywide rezon- in our housing lottery with a prefer- focus has delivered results three years
ambitious initiatives to double down ing in 60 years, that will change our ence for veterans and city workers. in a row, and we’re not stopping there.
on our efforts to create the housing city’s housing rules and build a little Public servants sacrifice for our city We know that a house is more than
New Yorkers need. more housing everywhere. every day, and this new policy will en- just a roof with four walls — it is the
Thanks to historic investments When you put together all the sure they can continue to live in the key to unlocking the American Dream,
and a relentless focus across our en- records, the rezonings, and the real city that they love. Additionally, last and it is the key to keeping it alive.
tire city government, our administra- progress we have made, there is sim- week, we officially changed our city’s Eric Adams is the Mayor of
tion has shattered affordable housing ply no other way to say it: This is the senior affordable housing program to New York City, NY

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