In addition to the fight against crime, insecurity and the recovery of the city after the blows it received by the COVID pandemic, safe, affordable and stable housing , and the fight against homelessness will be one of the main needs that Mayor Eric Adams must be ready to solve, with efficiency, speed and diligence, for the well-being of New Yorkers. According to the Homeless Coalition , in fiscal year 2020, a complete of 122, 926 homeless people went through the public shelter system, among them 39, 300 minor .
At almost 50, 000 homeless currently living in public shelters, including more than 8, 500 children, can be seen on the horizon, like a worrying “tsunami”, the situation that since the 15 January, when New York’s back rent moratorium expires, they could face hundreds of thousands of families who could not pay their rent due to loss of income and who would be at risk of being evicted if the State does not take background measures. Of the 289, 619 requests for assistance received by the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP ) to pay rent owed by delinquent tenants, largely in the five boroughs, hardly any resources have been allocated in less than 100, 000 . Furthermore, it is estimated that almost 400, 000 Additional families , a good part also in the city, could not apply and are seeing the green and mature ones.
The future of housing in the Big Apple will depend in large part on what happens in Albany, say activists and defenders of tenants, such as Lucas Sánchez, deputy director of the organization Communities for Exchange, who as an urgent first step demand the approval of permanent solutions to the disaster and not mere tepid cloths.
The activist warns that two of those initiatives that would give a break to those who are hanged with their rents and that would help to give greater benefits to tenants and not to large are the “just cause eviction law,” by state senator Julia Salazar, which would prevent landlords from evicting tenants in the most day of cases without an order from a judge, and terminate the program 421 , a benefit that allows developers not to pay a large portion of the property tax for the construction of multi-family rental housing. On this second point, the construction companies assure that it could negatively impact the creation of new homes.
But if the guidelines depend on the state government, what can the new Mayor do then to promote protection Affordable Housing ?: Using power, voice and leadership, first.
“Mayor Eric Adams has so many challenges in Housing issue on the road, but one very important thing you can and should do is advocate for city tenants and for those throughout the state, following the City Council that passed a resolution supporting the passage of the law in Albany of evictions for just cause. The mayor must, from now on, begin to demand that the Governor approve this project in the session that begins in January, ”said Sánchez. “In addition, we must end the program 421 that cuts real estate taxes, because it has only served to enrich them more and they have not built low-cost housing, as they should have done. .
The expert on housing issues added that at the City level, Adams must also put a stop to redevelopment projects, because he stated that these initiatives affect communities and increase the displacement of families vulnerable, favoring developers.
“From day one, Eric Adams must say no to rezoning , unless there really is affordable housing , because with De Blasio the low-cost housing that was approved in those projects was very few. You also need to use your voice to get the federal government to invest more funds in NYCHA. Adams should use the microphone that he has as mayor to advocate for those changes, “added the activist, who openly said he had zero hope that under the Adams Administration, realtors will create affordable housing units, as needed.
“Just look at who financed Eric Adams’ campaign: the real estate industry. So any promise on your part regarding affordable housing for ordinary New Yorkers is worthless. In this matter, he will only respond to the people who financed him, ”said Sánchez. “ It will be difficult, if not impossible, to have this mayor in terms of affordable housing construction. That will remain in words . We have zero confidence and if it happened, it would be a miracle, and it would only be a handful of units. ”
Despite the accusations, the Mayor has given his word that housing for the most needy will be a priority in his mandate. And on his closeness to the developers, despite publicly admitting that he sees them as a positive force for the city and not as the “bogeyman” that critics point out, he assures that he will demand the construction of more affordable units.
“ To deal with our housing disaster in New York, the City must quickly build new affordable housing while protecting existing apartments everywhere, with bold measures and aggressive measures that are even more necessary now that we fight simultaneously against a pandemic and an economic disaster, “warns the newly elected Mayor.
The president promises to build more affordable units, reuse office buildings of the city and hotels for low-cost housing, and about that particular talks about 25, 000 units , deliver housing and aid to the homeless and those struggling with high rents.
“New Yorkers in local shelters, especially those who lived in neighborhoods before and were displaced, will be prioritized for supportive housing,” Adams said. “In addition, we will accelerate the construction of supportive housing units, advancing the five-year schedule of the Supportive Housing Initiative 15 / 15 of the City, which is currently aiming to create 000, 000 supportive housing units in 15 years. ”
Other initiatives that Adams He has mentioned to promote his approach to solving the housing disaster are to empower community development corporations and religious institutions offering properties to build permanently affordable housing, take advantage of vacant and underutilized municipal properties.
” The goal is that no New Yorker will pay more than 30% of their income in rents. That is the most important thing, and whatever we do, it must be an effort with the community. We are going to sit down with community leaders and talk about the plans, ” said in an interview with El Diario NY.
Adams has also said that he will focus on getting more resources to improve NYCHA’s public housing buildings, which for years continue to report maintenance problems and basic conditions.
In employment matters , the new Mayor assures that after the loss of some 500 1,000 jobs after the COVID pandemic, in order to grow a fair economy, promote and support new emerging industries that create jobs.
On your list of tasks, is investing in green jobs, in the production and transmission of renewable energy, building remodeling and infrastructure improvements, as well as the science industry and supporting entrepreneurship companies with tax cuts.
“Working-class New Yorkers are They are struggling through this financial disaster and need direct help now and a much stronger safety net for the future. We must also do a better job of finding work for New Yorkers, “said Adams, who in addition to ensuring that he will offer direct cash assistance to New Yorkers in need, insists that he will create ” an unprecedented effort to place the New Yorkers in new jobs. ”