Pathways to Social Housing in New York

20 policies to shift from private profit to public good

Oksana Mironova, Samuel Stein, Celeste Hornbach, Jacob Udell

Three years into the pandemic, rents in New York City have reached new heights. A quarter of low income tenants owe back rent and the state struggles to fill a massive shortfall in its COVID rent relief fund. One of the root causes for this crisis is that for decades, landlords of New York State’s private rental housing stock have placed heavy financial bets on both deferred maintenance and rising rents. As a result, rental housing is vulnerable to shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic. Without a major intervention, our current housing and lending policies create an environment for further waves of gentrification and displacement.

See here for an introduction to Pathways to Social Housing

Democratic Control of Housing

The state and its municipalities’ public agencies must use all the tools at their disposal to encourage social housing conversions.

Financial Resources for Housing Justice

We cannot shy away from the fact that producing, operating and preserving social housing costs money.

  

  

Tenants’ Rights and Protections

Expanding tenants’ rights and protections across geographies and across housing types is a precondition to a successful social housing program.

Code Enforcement & Tools for Safe Conditions

Like expanded tenant protections, strong code enforcement can lay the groundwork for social housing by making housing less attractive to investors seeking lucrative short- term returns.