New York, NY The New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) applauds governor Andrew Cuomo's commitment to affordable housing with his announcement of the $1 billion House New York program. "The governor's housing plan will ensure safe and critically-needed homes for low, moderate and middle income families for decades to come," said NYSAFAH president, Donald Capoccia. "Not only will New Yorkers benefit from homes they can afford, but this historic public investment in housing will leverage private resources, and drive job creation to catalyze community development in underserved neighborhoods." In addition to significantly increasing support for affordable housing construction, the governor is proposing an ambitious preservation program to improve and maintain New York's existing stock of affordable housing. All told, the House New York program is estimated to create or preserve 14,000 homes statewide over the next five years. "With targeted programs reflecting the need for both preservation and new construction statewide, the governor's housing policy serves the interests of all New Yorkers," said Alison Badgett, executive director of NYSAFAH. "We look forward to working with the state legislature to ensure full enactment of the Governor's housing investment proposal."