Provides that a policy of this state should be to increase housing options and opportunities, including but not limited to affordable, workforce and senior housing.
Summary
This bill amends several provisions of New York’s General Municipal Law and Public Authorities Law to make housing an explicit state policy objective alongside existing economic development, environmental, and public-purpose goals. It adds language declaring that the state should actively promote increasing housing stock in support of state housing goals, and it expands the definition of eligible “project” and agency “purposes” to include housing and housing facilities in multiple industrial development and public authority programs.
The bill also requires that cost-benefit and tax exemption analyses for qualifying projects consider housing-related outcomes. In particular, agencies must evaluate whether a project contributes to state housing goals, including increasing housing options such as affordable, workforce, and senior housing, and whether it brings additional housing units to the market. Similar housing considerations are added to uniform tax exemption policy criteria for affected agencies and authorities. The bill takes effect immediately and would apply across several state and city-level development authorities and industrial development agencies.
Impact
The bill would change state law by inserting housing into the statutory purposes and project definitions of multiple economic development frameworks, including industrial development agencies and several public authorities. As a result, agencies that issue tax exemptions or financial assistance would be directed to treat housing production as a public benefit when evaluating projects, alongside jobs, investment, environmental impacts, and municipal revenue. It does not create a new housing program or mandate specific housing construction, but it broadens the legal basis for public financing and tax incentives to support housing development, including affordable, workforce, and senior housing.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests generally favorable committee support, with the Senate Local Government Committee approving the bill by a 5-2 vote on two recorded occasions. The bill’s caption and amendments indicate a policy consensus around addressing housing supply through existing economic development tools. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the vote margin suggests support with some opposition.
Contention
The likely points of contention are the bill’s expansion of public authority and IDA powers into housing, and the use of tax exemptions or financial assistance for housing projects. Supporters appear to view housing as a needed public purpose and a legitimate factor in economic development decisions, while opponents likely question whether these agencies should be used to subsidize housing, how broadly the new criteria should apply, and whether the added housing focus could dilute existing job-creation or fiscal safeguards. The 5-2 committee votes indicate there was some resistance, but the specific objections are not documented in the provided materials.
Same As
Provides that a policy of this state should be to increase housing options and opportunities, including but not limited to affordable, and workforce and senior housing.
Same As
Provides that a policy of this state should be to increase housing options and opportunities, including but not limited to affordable, workforce and senior housing.
Provides that a policy of this state should be to increase housing options and opportunities, including but not limited to affordable, workforce and senior housing.
Provides that a policy of this state should be to increase housing options and opportunities, including but not limited to affordable, and workforce and senior housing.
Establishes the "jobs and housing act"; directs the private housing finance agency to develop and administer a jobs and housing pilot program to construct and preserve housing, including workforce housing, that is affordable to low and moderate income persons, and creates jobs for those who build and work in such housing.
Authorizes the county of Ulster to establish an affordable housing fund to provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers, production of affordable housing, emergency housing, or supportive housing for sale or rent, rehabilitation of existing buildings for conversion to affordable housing, emergency housing, or supportive housing, acquisition of interests in real property in existing housing units, and the provision of housing counseling services.