Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
City Council Speaker Pushing Bill Requiring Developers To Set Aside Housing For Homeless
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 30, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Elizabeth Kim / Gothamist
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 30, 2019
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Leading up to a possible showdown with the de Blasio administration, the City Council is preparing to vote on a plan that would require city-funded developers to allot 15 percent of any created or preserved rental units for those living in the city’s shelter system.
The legislation, which was introduced one year ago by Rafael Salamanca Jr., a council member from the Bronx, has faced steady opposition from Mayor Bill de Blasio, but has the support of homeless advocates and a significant number of lawmakers, most notably Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
"The status quo is not working. We are treading water right now," said Johnson during a press conference on Wednesday at City Hall.
He added: "We are going to get this bill done."
The mayor's current housing plan calls for 5 percent of the anticipated 300,000 units to be set aside for the homeless. In recent years, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development has said that it requires developers on city-financed rental projects to allocate 10 percent of units for the homeless. Housing officials have argued that the legislation would give them less flexibility to create affordable housing.
Salamanca said he had been hoping the administration would come around and that he was surprised at the amount of resistance from City Hall. Working with developers, he has already instituted the plan in his district. To date, out of eight apartment projects, there have been 121 units set aside for homeless shelter residents.
"Developers say they can do this," he said.
Salamanca said that allowing the number of units for the homeless to be negotiated by the city is problematic because communities often oppose such projects, putting pressure on local elected officials. "This will help council members," he said, because they could point to the law.
He said 34 out of the city's 51 council members have sponsored the bill.
Scott Stringer, the city's comptroller, also attended the press conference. Stringer, who along with Johnson, is exploring a run for mayor, sharply criticized de Blasio's affordable housing policy for providing an insufficient amount of housing for low-income New Yorkers.
"This administration made a deal with REBNY," he said, referring to the Real Estate Board of New York, the real estate industry's lobbying arm. "It was a sham."
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for the mayor said in statement, “Too many families struggle against rising rents, which is why this Administration has made unprecedented investments to combat homelessness and increase access to affordable housing. We will continue working with our partners in the Council to find more long-term solutions for those in need.”
According to previous data supplied by City Hall, the city has designated 11,552 of its preserved or newly created units for the homeless.
Homeless advocates have called the numbers sorely inadequate in the face of an alarming homeless crisis. As of August, there were nearly 62,000 people who spent a night in a homeless shelter, a 63 percent increase compared to a decade ago, according to Coalition for the Homeless. Additional data released on Monday showed that one in 10 New York City public school students was homeless during the previous academic year.
As part of a concerted campaign, a broad coalition of homeless advocacy groups have called on the mayor to build 24,000 new affordable apartments and preserve another 6,000 more by 2026.
Nathylin Flowers Adesegun, a homeless woman who a year ago famously confronted de Blasio about his policies at his gym, was among those at the press conference who laced into the mayor.
"He doesn't have time for us," she said. "He doesn't have a clue."
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include a statement from the mayor's office. Also, the initial version incorrectly referred to Adesegun as formerly homeless. She is still homeless.
Tagged
Corey Johnson
housing
mayor bill de blasio
City Council bill
homeless crisis
City Council
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC Parks police told a yoga teacher to leash her dog. It got ugly.
Jurors ruled against Sabrina Toner, finding that the officers did not use excessive force.
By
Samantha Max
Published Oct 2, 2026 at 10:54 a.m. ET
Early Addition: There's finally stuff inside the Times Square tower where the ball drops
Because it used to sit vacant for most of the year, here are your early links: Rangers goalie scored, "It's a Wonderful Life" coming to Broadway, there's dignity in scaffolding and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: There's finally stuff inside the Times Square tower where the ball drops
Because it used to sit vacant for most of the year, here are your early links: Rangers goalie scored, "It's a Wonderful Life" coming to Broadway, there's dignity in scaffolding and more.
By
James Ramsay
NYC subway dragging death highlights an old school MTA failsafe
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
'We were the victim': Brooklyn shelter's new CEO speaks after corruption scandal
By
Ryan Kost
Badly burned body found in a trashed and abandoned Jamaica Queens lot, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .