The state Senate considered backing a modified version of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s housing-push for the greater New York City area — but the Democrats nixed the idea and went for a carrot-led plan instead.
Their new plan would ply the suburbs with $500 million in grants as an incentive to build more housing in areas resistant to the higher density.
The move signals there may be room for compromise on Hochul’s controversial push to require local governments — predominantly the Big Apple’s suburbs — to approve construction of new homes and apartments as the New York’s housing crisis explodes.
There is a long tradition governors and lawmakers holding back proposals in attempts to gain leverage in negotiations over the governor’s $227 billion spending and policy package, which is due by April 1.
“There is a truism here that if the governor wanted it, then she should carry the water,” said one person familiar. “She has to buy it back from us.”
Both the state Senate and the Assembly are pushing for a dramatic expansion of the state’s current program to provide housing vouchers for poor New Yorkers and new laws that would effective cap future rent increases for existing tenants.
State Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Queens), the deputy majority leader, was far less sanguine.
“It could be that it all comes together in giant bowl of soup,” said state Sen. Mike Gianaris. “It’s almost impossible to imagine one of them getting done without some kind of decision on the others.”
Hochul’s proposal would require the suburbs to change the zoning near their train stations downstate to allow for minimum amounts of housing based on their proximity to New York City.
For example, in Nassau County, the governor’s ‘Housing Compact’ would allow for the construction of two-to-four story buildings like the brownstones commonly found in the West Village or Brooklyn Heights, which would meet the 50 units per acre requirement.
The portions of Big Apple neighborhoods that fall within a half-mile of a subway or commuter rail station would have to meet the minimums, too. That rule would predominately hit portions of eastern Queens, where suburban-style housing commonly found.
It’s one part of Hochul’s massive housing push.
Her program would also set housing production targets for downstate and upstate.
New York City and the towns and villages in Westchester County, the Hudson Valley and on Long Island would be required to increase the number of houses and apartments by 3 percent every three years. Upstate communities would have to increase their housing supply by 1 percent every three years.
Extra credit would be given for projects with units set aside for middle income and working class New Yorkers.
The mandates would come with a heavy stick. Localities that refuse to change their zoning laws to build more homes and apartments and fail to meet the production targets would face a state board with the power to override vetos of new developments.
Republicans have pushed back hard against Hochul’s proposals, describing them as an Albany takeover of a key local government function.
Some suburban Democratic lawmakers have echoed that criticism while others have warned it the plan would be a political disaster for the party in parts of the state where they struggle to compete.
“My concern has been the removal of local zoning authority,” a lawmaker said. “Local control should remain in local hands, incentives should be provided instead of being penalized and localities should be given the opportunity to present a plan first before being forced to build.”
Lawmakers in the Assembly and the state Senate accepted Hochul’s housing targets but ditched the required upzonings and enforcement board. Instead, they proposed offering $500 million in grants to communities that meet the targets.
Independent experts at New York University said the lawmakers proposal would likely fail to generate enough housing to meet the targets. And even one top lawmaker conceded it would not be enough to put a dent in the housing crisis.
“It’s fairly clear in my mind that this is not a comprehensive housing solution,” said state Sen. Brian Kavanaugh (D-Brooklyn/Manhattan), the chairman of the upper chamber’s housing committee, to non-profit news website New York Focus.
“I personally would support some provisions that would force the issue of where and how housing is going to get built,” he added.
