Continuing the Fight for Housing in New York State

After the governor’s ambitious housing proposal failed to make headway in the state legislature, one lawyer argues Hochul should use executive power to move the needle forward on housing production.

2 minute read

May 14, 2023, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


The failure of New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed housing plan came as no surprise to Craig Gurian, executive director of the Anti-Discrimination Center of New York. In an article in Gothamist, Herb Pinder and Elizabeth Shwe provide highlights from a conversation with Gurian, whose legal group “won a novel court settlement compelling Westchester towns to build hundreds of affordable housing units” almost 14 years ago—“and met resistance at nearly every turn – not unlike Hochul’s failed plan.”

The governor’s housing plan, which called for 800,000 new housing units and would have given the state broad powers over zoning, fell apart amidst heated debate and criticism from both sides of the aisle in the state legislature. Gurian asserts that developer incentives, the preferred method for increasing the affordable housing supply, are clearly not enough to boost housing supply. “I think the word that's applicable is “delusional.” We've had decade after decade of incentives or requests or targets, and they never work.”

Gurian says Gov. Hochul should use the executive tools at her disposal to take meaningful action despite the legislature’s stalemate on housing. “There is a specific legal doctrine in New York State that allows building even when a locality opposes, when the state's interest is superior to the localities. Given the crisis, there's no question that the state's interest would be found to be superior, so I think that Governor Hochul should be using that doctrine.”

Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Gothamist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Entrance to subterranean Hollywood/Vine Metro station in Los Angeles, California surrounded by tall apartment buildings.

Opinion: California’s SB 79 Would Improve Housing Affordability and Transit Access

A proposed bill would legalize transit-oriented development statewide.

April 21 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Yellow roadside sign with extreme heat warning: "Danger - Extreme Conditions! - STOP - Do not hike Jun-Sep - HEAT KILLS"

Record Temperatures Prompt Push for Environmental Justice Bills

Nevada legislators are proposing laws that would mandate heat mitigation measures to protect residents from the impacts of extreme heat.

April 21 - Nevada Current

View of downtown Pittsburgh, PA with river and bridge in foreground at dusk.

Downtown Pittsburgh Set to Gain 1,300 New Housing Units

Pittsburgh’s office buildings, many of which date back to the early 20th century, are prime candidates for conversion to housing.

April 21 - Axios