Time for a Gut Rehab: How the Governor Can Rebuild New York's Affordable Housing Legacy

Eighty years ago, New York State was a national pioneer in creating affordable housing -- an effort led by its governor. In 1926, Governor Al Smith signed the Housing Act, which sparked a wave of low-cost development. New York was one of just two states to help produce housing before the New Deal. Republican and Democratic governors -- Harriman, Carey, Rockefeller, Cuomo -- continued and expanded this legacy.
Governor Pataki leaves the helm of New York State with different legacy: a consistent failure to ensure that New Yorkers have access to decent and reasonably priced housing.
As New Yorkers prepare to elect a new governor, the Pratt Center for Community Development has prepared a report that reviews the Pataki administration's housing policy, reviews what other governors are doing around the country, and explores how the next governor of New York can rebuild New York State's affordable housing legacy.
The report highlights the shortcomings of the Pataki Administration in failing to address the critical and growing need of New Yorkers -- in every part of the state -- for affordable housing. The report also lays out targeted recommendations for the next governor to reclaim New York's legacy on affordable housing. These recommendations include:

• Increase investments in proven housing programs, and create a dedicated housing trust fund;
• Preserve affordable housing for millions of New Yorkers by strengthening rent laws and protecting at-risk units;
• Create a "fair share/smart growth" plan for affordable housing that creates opportunity in all of New York's regions;
• Implement a concrete plan to end homelessness; and
• Reform the state's housing agencies and authorities