OUR INITIATIVES

BUDGET AND LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

NYSAFAH advocates for increased capital funding at both the city and state levels during their respective budget processes in order to increase affordable housing production. The organization also advocates for legislation that will enable greater affordable production.

LAND USE REFORM

New York State’s housing crisis has steadily worsened, with recent research showing that New York State needs to produce more than 800,000 housing units over the next decade.

This shortage is largely due to restrictive zoning that makes it highly challenging to build multifamily housing throughout most of the state.

NYSAFAH is advocating for sensible, statewide land use reform so that more affordable housing could be built in high-opportunity areas.

INSURANCE

Affordable housing developments face discrimination in the insurance marketplace, which drives up costs for owners and makes it harder for housing agencies to fund affordable housing – NYSAFAH is currently working to pass state legislation to prohibit discrimination. NYSAFAH is also engaged in advocacy to amend the Scaffold Law, which makes building owners absolutely liable for falls regardless of the circumstances. This antiquated law increases construction costs by 10%, dramatically decreasing affordable production.

SUSTAINABILITY

NYSAFAH and our members are leading the way to create green and sustainable affordable housing. Our industry is committed to meet the goals set forth by New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) which is the most ambitious and comprehensive state climate legislation in the country. To tackle these issues, NYSAFAH has formed a sustainability task force comprised of experts from across the industry that meets on a monthly basis.

DIGITAL EQUITY

Millions of New Yorkers lack adequate access to high-speed internet. This is in large part because families living in low-income areas are inadequately served by the infrastructure that delivers broadband service. In 2021, through our 501c3 affiliate, House New York, we launched AHBI, the Affordable Housing Broadband Initiative. AHBI is a roadmap that outlines how New York can leverage federal funds to wire New York’s affordable housing stock and provide the necessary infrastructure to support quality, high speed, internet access. To read our report, click here!  For more on AHBI and NYSAFAH’s digital literacy work go to www.houseny.org