What's happening
This bill allows New York City to partner with labor unions to finance and provide affordable housing exclusively for city employees.
Why it matters
Targets City Worker Housing Needs. By allowing affordable housing projects exclusively for New York City employees, the bill directly addresses housing challenges faced by public sector workers, potentially improving retention and morale among vital city staff such as teachers, police, and sanitation workers.
Union Involvement in Housing Solutions. The legislation empowers labor unions to play a significant role in financing and developing housing for their members, possibly leading to more responsive and tailored housing solutions that reflect the specific needs of city employees.
Eligibility and Income Limits. The bill establishes clear occupancy criteria—requiring at least one resident to be a city employee and household income below 125% of the area median—which aims to ensure that units genuinely serve lower- and middle-income public workers rather than higher-earning employees or non-employees.
Prevents Long-Term Misallocation. With provisions to terminate leases if eligibility requirements are no longer met (e.g., if the city employee moves out or household income rises), the bill seeks to prevent units from being occupied by ineligible tenants over time, thereby maintaining the integrity and intended impact of the affordable housing program.
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Who cares
Unions representing New York City employees
The bill would let their collective bargaining units partner with the city to finance affordable housing construction for their members.
New York City government
The city would gain authority to enter these housing-finance partnerships with unions representing its employees.
City employees and their households
Eligibility would require at least one city employee to live in the unit for more than half the year and combined household income below 125% of area median income.
Tenants in the union-financed housing
Their leases or rental agreements could not be extended or renewed if their households no longer met the city-employment, residency or income requirements.
Headline styles
Unions Build Affordable Housing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to housing
- Referred to housing
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Unions Build Affordable Housing
In Senate Committee · Housing, Construction And Community Development · Sponsor Kevin S. Parker
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
817
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. BICHOTTE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Housing
AN ACT to amend the private housing finance law, in relation to labor union financed housing
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The private housing finance law is amended by adding a new section 1154 to read as follows:
§ 1154. Partnership with labor unions. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the city of New York may enter into a cooperative partnership with any collective bargaining unit that represents employees of such city to finance the construction of affordable housing for the members of such collective bargaining unit.
2. Any financing for the construction of affordable housing pursuant to this section shall consist of units that are exclusively occupied by employees of the city of New York. For purposes of this subdivision, a unit shall be deemed occupied by an employee of the city if at least one person residing in such unit is an employee of the city, such employee actually resides in the unit for more than fifty percent of the year, and the combined income of all members residing in the unit is less than one hundred twenty-five percent of the area median income.
3. A lease or rental agreement of any unit created pursuant to this section shall not be extended or renewed to any person if the criteria established in subdivision two of this section are no longer satisfied.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02146-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.