Council Member Mark Levine

Lawrence -- The City Council has just taken a momentous vote--passing historic legislation that will require that every time there is an upzoning in New York City, developers will be mandatedto include affordable housing. The era of giving away development rights while asking for nothing in return is over. Thanks to the work of so many dedicated advocates in our community, the final MIH plan includes apartments targeted at New Yorkers earning as little as $24,000/year (singles) or $31,000/year (family of three). Even deeper levels of affordability will be achieved in most upzoned neighborhoods through City subsidy. The plan also includes housing directed towards working class and moderate income families.    We passed a second critical bill today as well, known as ZQA, which will spur creation of much-needed affordable housing for seniors and others. Here again the work of advocates was critical, ensuring that nothing in the final bill would lead to the tear-down of existing buildings. In fact, the mayor has agreed to support a Council initiative to dramatically strengthen anti-harassment laws to ensure that existing tenants can stay in their homes. I want to congratulate Mayor de Blasio, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and all my colleagues who worked so hard to make this significant legislation possible. We are moving forward towards the goal of keeping New York City a place where people of all backgrounds can afford to live and prosper. You can learn more about MIH and ZQA here. In Solidarity, Mark Visit our website to find out more:  About |  Newsroom |  City Council |  The District |  Resources |  Contact