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What do you get when you endure nearly a decade under a Republican President and Republican-controlled Congress at the Federal level, a Republican Governor with a Republican-controlled Senate at the State level, and a Republican Mayor at the city level? Absolute gridlock for any agenda that benefits anyone but multi-billion dollar corporations and the affluent. Arrrggghhh!!!
For nearly a decade, now, affordable housing in New York City (and throughout the State) has been egregiously ignored at all three levels of government. Meanwhile, homelessness rates have been through the roof through both the Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations; and, more and more, middle- and low-income New Yorkers are finding it nearly impossible to afford living in the city.
Our now-Democrat Governor Eliot Spitzer announced he is creating a $400 million Housing Opportunity Fund in the State budget he will be releasing for the new fiscal year! See there was money in the State coffers, after all, to share with the less than affluent and well-connected. Of course, Spitzer still has to get that budget approved by both chambers of the legislature; and the Senate, for some reason I can't explain, is still Republican-controlled. That and Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Governor Eliot Spitzer fight with each other like two spoiled second-graders. Bruno may be inclined to oppose the budget on the mere grounds that it was issued by Spitzer. Let's hope Upstate New Yorkers, the folks who keep putting Republicans in the State Senate, realize that they, too, will benefit from the Housing Opportunity Fund and pressure their local senators to get with the program.
And some great news on the local (NYC) front! Come join City Councilmember Tony Avella and Picture the Homeless for their joint press conference on the steps of City Hall on Saturday, January 19 at 11:30 a.m. as they announce the introduction of legislation that will create disincentives for landlords to hold property off the market!
Rent in New York City is out-of-reach for way too many New Yorkers; contributing to folks being unable to provide well for themselves and their families, and contributing to astronomical homelessness rates in the city. Who benefits? Banks and corporate landlords! They're making a killing by investing in property they can leave vacant and turn around when the property value goes up. No responsibility, but plenty of bang for the buck... at the expense of the common good.
Come stand in solidarity with the homeless, poor and low- and middle-income New Yorkers who very much need a paradigmatic shift in the city's housing policy!
