Page 14 - The Indian EYE 082523

COMMUNITY OP-ED AUGUST 25, 2023 | The Indian Eye 14

Planning, Building and Providing

Affordable Homes for New Yorkers

One in 17 New Yorkers live in public housing. And we are giving them more power through

the NYCHA Trust, which will allow thousands of NYCHA residents to have a say in their own future
and unlock billions of dollars for much-needed repairs

ERIC ADAMS

ew York City is home to peo-
ple from all over the world.
NWe may eat different foods
and speak different languages, but in
the end, we all want things: jobs, good
schools for our children, public safe-
ty, and a chance to live the American
Dream. A central part of that dream
is an affordable home, and our city,
like the rest of the state and country,
urgently needs to create much more
housing for people of all incomes. Building more affordable homes isn’t easy in a place like New York City. You need creativity and persistence to get it done (File photo)
Today, less than 1 percent of
apartments in New York City listed
below $1,500 in rent are available for a reality. program. ing on removing outdated state regu-
new tenants. That’s the lowest in 30 We are speeding the production One in 17 New Yorkers live in lations that prevent us from building
years. And there are more families of affordable housing, preserving the public housing. And we are giving more housing in crowded areas like
and children in need of affordable housing stock we already have, tak- them more power through the NY- Midtown Manhattan, and we are
housing than ever before. I have ing steps to allow unused office space CHA Trust, which will allow thou- sparing no efforts to make sure that
talked to hard-working New Yorkers to be converted to homes, and re- sands of NYCHA residents to have state lawmakers do their part to sup-
who struggle to afford rent for their moving bureaucratic barriers to get a say in their own future and unlock port us with the necessary legislation.
families. I have met with our broth- New Yorkers out of shelters and into billions of dollars for much-needed Building more affordable
ers and sisters living in shelters and permanent homes swiftly. repairs. homes isn’t easy in a place like New
tents. Over the last year, we created We also need action from the York City. You need creativity and
But I also know what happens and preserved nearly 27,000 afford- state Legislature to pass a tax incen- persistence to get it done. But as
when they get the key to an afford- able new homes; and we lifted the tive (421-A) to get new housing built. someone who lived on the edge of
able home. I have seen the smiles 90-day rule so that, instead of having Last year, projects that relied on 421- homelessness as a child, I know how
and relief when they finally have to wait for 90 days, those in shelter A made up half of all newly built af- important it is to have a place to call
a stable, safe place to build their can now receive housing vouchers fordable housing. And we need the home. Having your own home can
dreams. That is why our administra- immediately and move into perma- Legislature to help us convert emp- change your destiny. And that is
tion announced a “moonshot” goal nent homes as quickly as possible. In ty offices into affordable homes for what our administration aims to de-
of 500,000 new homes for New York- fact, this year, we moved the most New Yorkers. Without state lawmak- liver for all New Yorkers.
ers over the next decade. And we are people from shelter into permanent ers’ assistance, the progress we made Eric Adams is
working tirelessly to make that goal housing in the history of the voucher last year will stall. We are also work- the Mayor of New York City, NY

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