Enterprise Community Partners,Inc. to work with administration on housing plan; Aims to build or preserve 200,000 affordable homes
May 27, 2014 - Brokerage
New York mayor Bill de Blasio released his much-anticipated housing plan, which aims to build or preserve 200,000 affordable homes in the city over the next decade. Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., shares de Blasio's bold vision for a more affordable and equitable New York, and look forward to working with his administration to make that vision a reality.
The plan comes at a critical moment, as low-income New Yorkers are in the midst of a growing housing insecurity crisis. Nearly half of all low-income renters in the city spend more than 50% of their income on housing, often leaving them one paycheck away from losing their homes. Meanwhile, over 50,000 New Yorkers - including 22,000 children - live in city homeless shelters, which is more than double the shelter population from a decade ago.
de Blasio's housing plan is an important first step toward reversing these trends and creating diverse, thriving neighborhoods throughout New York. Many elements of the plan directly align with Enterprise's mission and priorities, including:
* A neighborhood-centered approach. The administration's plan will create affordable housing in all five boroughs and promote mixed-income and mixed-use developments, positioning housing as an anchor for economic development that connects all New Yorkers to opportunity.
* A focus on preservation: The plan devotes significant attention to preserving existing affordable homes, and the city commits to being a leader in developing new technologies and standards for sustainability so that the housing stock is healthier and more affordable for its residents.
* A dedication to very low-income families. The plan would repurpose existing tools and incentives to help reach deeper levels of affordability for the lowest-income families and develop more mixed-income neighborhoods.
and support the organizations that are key to building strong, diverse and affordable communities.
* A focus on people with special housing needs: The plan recognizes that permanent housing is the solution to New York's homelessness crisis and promises to redirect resources to meet the housing needs of extremely low-income families and people with additional barriers to housing, including seniors and disabled individuals.
* A pledge to increase resources for housing: The administration plans to double the capital budget for affordable housing and increase the capacity of housing organizations to steward the plan.
Enterprise commends de Blasio and his team for putting forth an ambitious, comprehensive and realistic plan for the future of housing in New York.