19-03-2025
New Yorkers float expanded tax credits or voucher programs to address homelessness
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — At the New York State Capitol on Tuesday, housing took center stage. Advocates and lawmakers focused on ways to tackle homelessness and increase housing supply.
Gov. Kathy Hochul held a press conference about construction projects meant to build out housing stock statewide, announcing her intention to push New York's Congressional delegation to expand Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. She said that over $270 million in state and federal funds created or saved more than 1,800 affordable, supportive, and energy-smart homes in 28 projects statewide.
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The governor said state and federal tax credits and subsidies drove the investments to increase public housing and modernize old buildings. The projects mixed public funds with private investments, driving over $1 billion in total spending.
The announcement represented a push to expand tax credits to pay for more construction. In New York, the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit gives tax breaks for construction or renovation costs to property owners who build or maintain affordable housing for low-income tenants.
To qualify, owners need an eligibility statement from the Commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal confirming that the property meets low-income housing standards. The credit applies for ten years, and if a building is sold, the new owner has to maintain the low-income housing requirements for the rest of the compliance period.
Hochul wants Congress to expand the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to pay for some 2 million new homes, including 100,000 in New York. She also proposed doubling the state's investment in housing tax credits from $15 million to $30 million, hoping to leverage federal support for greater impact.
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U.S. Congressmember Paul Tonko joined Hochul for the press conference. The Upstate Democrat has also advocated for the expanded tax credit.
Meanwhile, housing advocates and elected officials rallied for immediate action on housing protections at the state level. Ralliers pushed for the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP), a proposed statewide rental assistance program that would give housing vouchers to low-income tenants facing eviction or homelessness.
S72/A1704 creates a new state-funded rental assistance program for people who are homeless or about to lose their housing and earn no more than 50% of the area's median income. The renter pays 30% of their adjusted income or a welfare-determined amount, whichever is higher.
The program pays rent directly to landlords, covering the difference between what the renter paid and the unit's rent. Under the HAVP, landlords would have to offer leases for at least a year, and could only end a lease for serious, good-cause violations like non-payment of rent. Rental units have to meet state and local housing codes, and HAVP also verifies the tenant's income to prevent fraud.
The law's definition of 'homeless' includes people living in shelters, cars, or other places not meant for housing, and those fleeing domestic violence. And 'imminent loss' includes eviction notices, court orders to leave, or unsafe housing conditions.
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Eligibility would extend to groups excluded from existing rental assistance programs, including undocumented immigrants, individuals with a felony conviction, and those with no income. Further, under the law, New York City housing agencies would have a carve-out to make their own rules for implementing the program.
Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, who sponsored the bills in their respective houses of the legislature, joined New Yorkers who are tenants, immigrants, and homeless to rally for stronger housing protections. The legislation has gotten support from lawmakers in previous years, though Hochul has blocked it from past state budgets.
At her press conference, Hochul fielded a question about HAVC. She said she'll continue to focus on building housing to reduce costs and fend off rising homelessness:
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With homelessness at record levels, especially among children in rural areas where it has risen over 1,000% in the past decade, according to advocates at the rally, they urged lawmakers to prioritize eviction prevention. They convened in the Capitol Building's War Room for a speak-out on youth homelessness, and participants laid out stuffed animals featuring the number of homeless children in each region.
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