City claims it broke a record for number of affordable housing units built, preserved

The de Blasio administration says it created or preserved more than 24,500 affordable housing units last year, the highest number seen in the city in nearly 30 years.

The mayor announced the record on Tuesday, which surpasses 1989’s 23,100 affordable units, the Associated Press reported. His administration has created or preserved more than 87,500 affordable housing units in the past four years.

Just before being re-elected, de Blasio increased his pledge to build or preserve 200,000 affordable by 2024, adding another 100,000 units to that goal. At the time, the mayor said the city was on track to create or preserve homes at a rate of 25,000 units per year, a pace that would allow them to reach a goal of 300,000 total by 2026.

“Not only did we generate the most affordable housing in a single calendar year — a full half of those homes will serve extremely and very low-income New Yorkers,” said Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer.

As part of his housing initiative, dubbed “Housing 2.0,” de Blasio plans to increase taxes on landlords who have vacant lots that are zoned residential. The administration is also pushing for a “tiny home” design competition that could add affordable housing on smaller lots. [AP] — Kathryn Brenzel