Lobbying Insider Episode 104:
A Deep Dive on Housing: Can We Build Affordable Housing in NY?
In this episode, Host Zack Fink speaks with Carlo Scissura, CEO of the New York Building Congress, and Lou Coletti, former President of the Building Trades Employers’ Association, who is now a Senior Adviser in Davidoff Hutcher and Citron’s Construction, Real Estate and Government Relations practices. Both guests bring decades of experience to the discussion which covers some of the major housing issues facing New York City and State.
While there is widespread agreement that New York needs to build more affordable housing, there isn’t much consensus on how to get there.
Last year, Governor Hochul unveiled an ambitious housing plan to build in the suburbs. It was tied to numerous other initiatives such as a renewal of the tax break known as 421a for developers to build affordable housing, and legislation known as “Good Cause Eviction” which provides tenant protections and is favored by the progressive wing of the Democratic party. In the end, a grand bargain could not be reached between Hochul and the legislative leaders, and the Albany legislative session came to a close in June of 2023 with no new housing laws on the books. A lot is at stake in the upcoming 2024 session and the discussion focuses on that.
