Homeless Housing Requirement Threatened by New York Politics

A bill that would require all developments financed by the New York Department of Housing Preservation and Development to include housing for the homeless is unpopular in the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio.

1 minute read

December 12, 2019, 6:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


de Blasio Administration

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"A City Council bill that would require any new city-sponsored real estate developments dedicate 15% of new apartments to house the homeless is at risk of being gutted by Mayor de Blasio," reports Michael Gartland, citing four sources familiar with the matter.

"The bill, introduced by Councilman Rafael Salamanca in 2018, would require all new developments financed by the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development to set aside 15% of their units for the homeless," explains Gartland.

The Mayor's Office is negotiating to make the 15 percent requirement an annual set aside, rather than of per development, reports Gartland. The sources who informed Gartland of the negotiations said such a change "would allow developers and communities opposed to shelters greater leeway in wiggling out of helping to house the homeless."

Tuesday, December 10, 2019 in New York Daily News

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