State Legislature Takes on Affordable Housing

The fight for Starrett City - a proxy in the larger fight over affordable housing - is expanding to a second stage as state legislators propose the "Save Starrett City Law", which would protect nearly 65,000 apartments by closing a loophole that lets building owners benefit from affordable housing programs but then stop providing affordable housing.

The state's Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program exchanges tax-exempt financing for affordable housing. Currently, if a building was built after 1973 and the owners leave Mitchell-Lama or Section 8 they're not subject to rent stabilization laws. The Save Starrett City Law would mean building owners who leave Mitchell-Lama or Section 8 affordable housing programs would still have to follow rent stabilization laws.

Working Families supports the Save Starrett City Law. Here's Executive Director Dan Cantor quoted in a New York Times article:

"Starrett City represents everything that we really think this city should be about . . . It's called the 'Save Starrett City Law,' but it really should be called the 'Save New York City Law.'"

Look for more this week on this issue and ways for you to get involved.

Technorati tags: Working Families Party | Affordable Housing