Changes are needed in our Housing Policy

Affordable housing is a serious issue in New York City. A major obstacle to affordable housing in New York City is the outdated NY State "Urstadt Law", which states city housing regulation cannot be more stringent than the states housing regulation. As your City Councilman, I would lobby to change this law in the State Senate. The New York State Senate is currently a debacle. Do you trust the NY Senate to create meaningful change through legislation? I didn't think so! Unfortunately as your City Councilman my powers would be limited in changing this law. I would organize and empower the community to lobby for repealing the Urstadt. The upstate senators and Republican senators are against repealing the Urstadt Law. The Real Estate Development & Landlord Lobbyist outspend affordable housing advocates by 20 folds. Once again money buys legislation in New York.

It is intriguing that Mayor Bloomberg is lobbying for Mayoral Control of our schools but has not lobbied for Mayoral control of our housing. Why doesn't Mayor Bloomberg care about helping the middle class of New York. Mayor Bloomberg commercials say he cares about the middle class but his actions say another.

Please see the below article written by Joe Lamport in the Gotham Gazette.


Repealing the Urstadt Law

by Joe Lamport
January 2005