City council speaker reinvents NYCHA infill plan

Is the third time the charm for an idea to build more public housing in New York City?

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is set to propose building new public housing on existing empty spaces on developments within the New York City Housing Authority system, The City reported. 

Adams’ proposal, which is expected to be announced in the annual State of the City speech, relies on infill developments to tack on more built space to existing properties. The buildings could replace units for existing developments in disrepair and tenants can be moved from old to new, though the future of the old buildings remains in question.

The proposed buildings would also include thousands of mixed-income, senior and supportive housing units, as well as market-rate units that could defray costs. A private sector operator would then be able to manage those units separately.

The proposal would keep the city in compliance with a federal law that capped the number of public housing units at 1999 levels; NYCHA has subtracted units since then, so it would be able to build up to the cap.

There are several obstacles standing in Adams’ way. 

First, the plan would likely require significant financial support from all levels of the government and the funding has yet to be determined.

The proposal is similar to past ideas to build infill properties to support NYCHA housing, including plans presented by Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio that were scuttled by tenant and political opposition.

Adams’ idea differs from those two in at least one significant way. It was previously thought private developers would construct the buildings — part market-rate — after leasing the land from NYCHA and pay a big fee to help upgrade the agency’s aging portfolio. While Adams is veering away from that model, there is still likely to be some resistance to the plan, particularly from tenants who would potentially sacrifice playgrounds and basketball courts for the buildings.

NYCHA has been on the brink of disaster due to a massive shortfall of rent collection stemming from the pandemic. The housing authority is facing a $500 million shortfall, preventing it from making necessary repairs across its portfolio.

— Holden Walter-Warner