The governor affixes her signature to law S.4937C/A.6262B that allows empty hotels to be used for affordable housing.
Foto:
Darren McGee / NY Governor Office
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Conceived as a creative measure to alleviate the city’s affordable housing crisis, Governor Kathy Hochul this morning signed legislation that makes it easier for low-income people to use empty hotels as permanent spaces.
Joined by Mayor Eric Adams and State Senator Brian Brian Kavanagh, the bill’s sponsor, Hochul noted, “As the housing crisis continues to affect families, we are taking bold action, adopting innovative ideas to help ensure that New Yorkers can access safe, livable and quality affordable housing. This new law allows us to tackle the affordability crisis head-on and turn empty and underutilized spaces into homes.”
On his side, Mayor Adams said, “Today, we’re saying yes to more affordable and supportive housing that New Yorkers need and deserve. This law reduces red tape and eliminates outdated rules so we can take advantage of this unique opportunity.”
He added that the legislation “will help us unlock $200 million in funds that we have been eager to use and spend in the right way. And when you can do that, create permanent housing, it’s a win for the taxpayers, it’s a win for the industry, and it’s a win for ordinary New Yorkers looking for housing.”
He said he was sure that he will do nothing but build apartments, he will transform lives. “Nothing is more transformative than being able to have your permanent space so you can raise your children and families.”
In a joint statement, Senator Kavanagh said that repurposing Class B hotels into permanent housing represents another critical step in ending the crisis of unaffordable housing, evictions and homelessness that has gripped New York for too long. .
In her State of the State address, Governor Hochul announced a $25 billion, five-year housing plan that will create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes in urban and rural New York, including 10,000 homes with supportive services. . She also earmarked an additional $100 million in Fair Housing for Our Neighbors Act (HONDA) funds to convert vacant commercial properties and distressed hotel properties across the state.
Representing the New York Hotel Trades Council, Rich Maroko highlighted that they will now have a smart and thoughtful program that can protect the quality hotels that are key to the recovery of tourism, while turning hotel properties out of business – that pay poverty wages and blight neighborhoods – in much-needed housing.
Project Renewal CEO Eric Rosenbaum said, “This is a game changer! Nothing provides the opportunity to recover and renew like stable housing. We saw, from the moment we moved people from shelters to hotels at the height of the pandemic, the huge potential in hotel conversions.”
It remains to determine the spaces available for this purpose.
It is estimated that at least 50,000 people in the Big Apple currently live in homeless shelters and many more are stressed by fear of eviction due to high rents.
what the law says
- The new law authorizes Class B hotels that are located within or within 400 feet of districts that allow residential use and meet certain criteria to use their existing certificates of occupancy to operate as permanent residential spaces.
- The law also allows said hotels to provide permanent accommodation if they enter into an agreement with the City or if they receive financing from the State, through HONDA.
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