Governor Kathy Hochul today, March 15 held a community roundtable in Westchester County with local leaders and elected Hudson Valley officials to discuss the New York Housing Compact, her strategy to address New York’s housing crisis and build 800,000 new homes in the next decade. Advocates, elected representatives, and business leaders commented on the plan, which builds on the governor’s vision to make New York more livable, more accessible, and more affordable.
Here’s what the participating local leaders and some regional planners had to say:
Kingston mayor Steve Noble said, “Governor Kathy Hochul lays out how we can build more housing in New York while also providing municipalities with support to do this work. Let’s make sure this is part of the budget
New Paltz supervisor Neil Bettez said, “Governor Hochul’s Housing Compact takes the critical next step to stem the urgent housing crisis. This multi-faceted approach calls for the construction of 800,000 new homes over the next decade and provides hundreds of millions to assist with infrastructure and planning to support new housing production so that each municipality can meet the goals of the NY Housing Compact in their own way. This plan builds on the governor’s $25-billion comprehensive housing plan supports the creation or preservation of 100,000 affordable homes across New York State. I support this policy and encourage my fellow elected partners to make this a reality.”
New Paltz mayor Tim Rogers said, “I appreciate the ongoing discussion about how we may best implement Governor Hochul’s Housing Compact while being mindful of local governments and home rule. The need for more housing in New York, especially affordable housing, is undeniable. Adding new homes will not threaten what is great in so many towns, villages and cities, nor have an impact on public safety. In fact, adding more homes will strengthen our communities, local economies, and help us move towards more sustainable ways to live. The governor has set a goal to add up to 800,000 homes over the next decade and committed to investing $250 million to help local governments fortify existing water and sewer systems to accommodate this new housing. Here in the Village of New Paltz, we have already rezoned to encourage more density and to allow for accessory dwelling units. We look forward to working with governor Hochul to accomplish our goals, to build out capacity for our infrastructure, so that all future families may live, work, and grow here in Ulster County.”
Harold King of The Council of Industry said, “Access to affordable housing is critical for Hudson Valley manufacturers to recruit and retain the workforce necessary to compete in the global marketplace. Governor Hochul’s commitment to help build 800,000 new homes statewide is an important step toward improving affordability and strengthening our workforce.”
Tom Wright, president and CEO of Regional Plan Association, said, “RPA is proud to support the governor’s New York Housing Compact proposal. The housing compact will create the new homes we need to address our current housing crisis and invest in our future in a smart and sustainable way by encouraging more homes around transit, making sure that all municipalities add housing opportunities, and providing local governments with the resources and flexibility they need to make this work at the local level.”
Adam Bosch, CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, said, “Our leaders must encourage the construction of more housing for people at every income level if we hope to maintain community wellness and economic prosperity in the Hudson Valley. Governor Hochul has correctly diagnosed the problem: The housing crisis across our region has pushed prices beyond what people can afford, exacerbated our workforce shortage, and compelled more than 100,000 people to move out of the region. Leaders at every level must collaborate on evidence-based solutions to speed up the funding, review and development of housing that meets our local and regional needs. At this moment, the health of our economy depends less on attracting new companies than our willingness to build sufficient housing for our workers, neighbors and children.”
Kevin O’Connor, president and CEO of Rupco, Inc. said, “We support governor Kathy Hochul’s NY Housing Compact, a bold plan to increase affordable housing and create more than 800,000 new homes over the next decade. The governor’s executive Budget continues a $25 billion, five-year housing plan to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 homes with support services for vulnerable populations, and electrifying an additional 50,000 homes as part of the state’s plan to electrify 1 million homes and make another 1 million electrification ready. Funding includes $5.7 billion in state capital resources, $8.8 billion in state and federal tax credits and other federal allocations, and $11 billion to support the operation of shelters and supportive housing units and to provide rental subsidies. Additionally, the FY 2024 executive budget proposes a $250-million infrastructure support fund as part of the New York Housing Compact, to support projects that facilitate the construction of increased housing, such as sewer and water infrastructure, parking facilities that allow existing lots to be repurposed, school infrastructure needs, and improvements to accommodate neighborhood growth and livability.”
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