Happy belated Purim and Holi! A happy Easter Sunday as well!
Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is 4/6 - 4/14! See all in-person voting locations and instructions for voting on our website! We are excited to host a PB Expo to showcase this year’s PB projects on 4/6 from 2-4 PM at Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus. Join us to meet your neighbors, learn about the projects, and vote. There will be a kids ballot and arts and crafts for those under the age of 11, so bring the whole family! RSVP and see our other volunteer opportunities during Vote Week here.
Following the tragic stabbing of our neighbor Samyia Spain earlier this month, we are doubling down on our commitment to the safety of women in our streets. Right to Be is offering free training on how to safely stand up to street harassment on 4/2 at 5 PM that you can sign up for here.
We are still unable to offer in-person appointments with extremely limited exceptions. If you need help, call us at (718) 499-1090 or send us an email at [email protected].
Progressive Caucus Launches Homes Now, Homes for Generation Campaign
The housing crisis is threatening the ability of so many New Yorkers to remain in the city that they love. From renters being pushed out of their neighborhoods, to asylum seekers being evicted from shelter, to families seeing their dreams of homeownership falling further out of reach—this is affecting all of us.
Here are some staggering statistics about the on-the-ground reality of the situation:
Evictions nearly tripled in 2023 as compared to 2022, and the number of New Yorkers spending the night in homeless shelters is at an all-time high.
Working and middle class families are leaving New York at three times the rate of the richest New Yorkers.
NYC currently finances very little homeownership – less than 1,500 units since 2017.
Mayor Adams’s FY25 Preliminary Budget proposes an average annual decrease of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Capital Budget of 10% over the 4 years.
In this urgent moment, I’m proud that the Progressive Caucus, which I Co-Chair, is leading the Homes Now, Homes for Generations campaign alongside Comptroller Lander, Public Advocate Williams, and our partners from the labor and housing movements. This campaign demands a capital investment of $2 billion over the next four years into housing programs that will fund the construction and preservation of permanently-affordable, community-controlled housing. This investment will provide stability and equity-building opportunities for low-income and working-class New Yorkers. The homes will be accessible, energy-efficient and climate resilient, owned and operated by community-based organizations.
The Homes Now, Homes for Generations campaign centers on strengthening two HPD programs that already exist. The first is Neighborhood Pillars, which helps community organizations acquire and rehabilitate for-profit owned housing. If properly funded, this program would allow community-based organizations with deep ties to the local neighborhood to control housing stock and preserve thousands of homes. This model safeguards rent-stabilized units, ensuring the resilience of our stock of affordable apartments.
The second is Open Door, which finances the new construction of shared equity co-operatives, whose units are made available at a price affordable for purchase by moderate and middle income New Yorkers. This makes homeownership accessible for working families and helps build wealth across generations and stability in our city.
The heart of New York has always been its diverse working and middle-class communities, but now it seems like only the super wealthy can afford to put down roots here. We have a real chance to change that with this campaign, and the resources needed are just a fraction of the city's budget. The Progressive Caucus is urgently taking decisive action to address the housing crisis at the local level to support middle and working-class families.
For more information on this campaign check out this briefing paper, this fun video from Council Member Ossé, and this op-ed from Council Member Cabán.
