Mayor de Blasio Raises the Stakes on Housing Affordability

Mayor Bill de Blasio's recent State of the City address broke with tradition and voiced an impassioned plea regarding to housing affordability.

1 minute read

February 16, 2017, 5:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


de Blasio Administration

Joe Tabacca / Shutterstock

"In an election year and amid an extraordinary shift in the nation's political climate, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday night split from his formula for State of the City speeches, delivering a lofty, not fully scripted and sometimes rambling address on the city’s growing 'affordability crisis,'" writes Laura Nahmias.

According to Nahmias, Mayor de Blasio's speech lacked the specifics and proposed policies of traditional State of the City addresses. The mayor's impassioned speech offered at least one memorable phrase on the subject of housing affordability: "This affordability crisis threatens who we are. It threatens the very soul of this city," said Mayor de Blasio.

Among the specifics included in Mayor de Blasio's speech were actions on jobs and the plan to retrofit public building in the city for energy efficiency.

Monday, February 13, 2017 in Politico New York

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

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.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

June 16 - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

June 16 - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

June 16 - UNM News