Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that she is dropping her controversial plan to spur housing growth across the state next year after previous attempts were panned by elected officials.
“I’m not going to head down the same path we did last year with the exact same plan in a year that is an election year for members,” Hochul said after a student mental health announcement at a Manhattan high school, according to City and State. “They have a different focus and priorities, and I’m going to make sure we get there.”
Hochul tried to include the contentious New York Housing Compact in this year’s budget before deciding not to include it after strong pushback. Hochul’s plan called for a 3% increase in housing units over three years, the possibility of the state stepping in if the 3% goal was not met and the use of transit-oriented developments to achieve that objective. The plan was intended to address a shortage of 800,000 housing units in the New York metropolitan area.
Included in the plan were local participation requirements and incentives to achieve housing growth along with requiring municipalities with MTA stations to rezone for higher-density residential development.
Democrats are trying to flip congressional seats across the state, including the now-vacant 3rd Congressional District, which ex-Rep. George Santos turned from blue to red in 2022.
Hochul went on to say there was not enough support for her proposals.
“At the end of session, it became apparent to me there was no interest in what I was proposing, which was bold, it was ambitious, we knew that from the start,” Hochul said, according to City and State.
North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, along with Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino and a myriad of local mayors and trustees led the charge in Nassau County against Hochul’s plan. Pushback from Long Island spanned both sides of the aisle while multiple civic and business organizations were critical of the proposal.
“It’s high time the governor realized that overriding local zoning and imposing more unfunded state mandates without offering local government a seat at the table to advocate for the best interest of those we represent was the absolute wrong approach to solving the affordable housing crisis,” DeSena said April to Blank Slate Media.
Data from the 2020 Census showed there were more than 78,000 households in North Hempstead. A total of 2,364 housing units would have to be constructed in the town over the next three years to meet Hochul’s 3% goal. Nassau’s population has also decreased by more than 32,000 since 1970, with 1.35 million residents reported in the 2020 Census.
In 2022, Hochul rolled out a $25 billion, five-year housing plan aimed at creating and preserving 100,000 affordable homes throughout New York, 10,000 of which would have support services for vulnerable populations.
Hochul also called last year for changing zoning laws for Accessory Dwelling Units, which include basements, attics and garages, but it was criticized by Long Island officials.
Proponents of the legislation have claimed establishing ADUs could help senior citizens on fixed incomes remain in their homes, enable younger people to afford homes and be a new source of income for homeowners who live in high-cost areas.