NY Governor Kathy Hochul Celebrates 350,000 New Homes Built Under Her Administration

Housing Initiatives and Progress

• 🏠 Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the construction, restoration, and preservation of over 350,000 housing units in New York since taking office.
• 💡 Projects like the one in Gowanus, at 585 Union Street, exemplify breathing new life into neighborhoods by converting former industrial spaces into residential units.
• 🎯 The administration set an ambitious goal of over 100,000 affordable housing units in five years and has already achieved 65,000, putting them ahead of schedule.

Gowanus Development: The Wharf Project

• 🏗️ The Wharf project in Gowanus includes over 8,500 units, with approximately 5,300 being affordable housing.
• 🔑 The 421A program was crucial, ensuring 30% of units in some buildings are affordable, allowing residents who might not otherwise afford it to live in buildings with amenities like rooftop pools and yoga centers.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The development brings new life and families into the neighborhood, with residents like Nia expressing pride in their new homes.

Addressing Housing Challenges

• 📈 Hochul emphasized the need for aggressive housing construction to combat long waitlists for affordable housing.
• ⚠️ The administration had to fight obstacles, including the legislature's initial refusal to renew the 421A program, which Hochul was able to extend.
• 🏢 The development also incorporates affordable commercial space on the first floor, with developers acquiring older buildings to add housing above retail.

Amtrak Tunnel Repairs

• 🚆 Governor Hochul is scheduling a meeting with Amtrak to discuss essential repairs for the Canarsie tunnel, aiming to minimize rider impact.
• 🚧 She has proposed alternative solutions, such as using Grand Central for access and adding more train cars, but Amtrak has not been receptive.
• ⚠️ The repairs are critical, especially after damage from Hurricane Sandy, and cannot be delayed further.