The Changes New York State Needs to Make Now to Rescue Affordable Housing

New Yorkers are at a tipping point. Families are crowded into unsafe apartments, seniors are at risk of losing homes they’ve lived in for decades, and the dream of a stable, affordable place to live feels out of reach for far too many. This is not just a housing problem. It’s a crisis that threatens the stability of our communities, our workforce, and our state’s future. Housing is the key to opportunity, and bold action is required — right now.

The state’s five-year housing plan has moved the needle, but demand has long outstripped supply. Programs are oversubscribed, and too many projects are delayed because funding hasn’t kept pace. Without immediate expansion of resources in the fiscal year 2026-27 executive budget, both within the plan and in standalone programs, New York will fall further behind, leaving families waiting while opportunities slip away.

Preserving the housing we already have is just as urgent. Aging buildings face rising costs, maintenance backlogs, and expiring affordability commitments that put tenants at risk. An affordable housing relief fund is critical to cover emergency repairs, compliance upgrades and operating shortfalls, ensuring that every existing unit remains safe, accessible and sustainable.

Rising insurance costs are a hidden crisis that threatens the very foundation of affordable housing. Skyrocketing premiums make it difficult for owners to keep up with repairs, maintain properties, or even continue operating, putting affordable housing properties at risk. 

The New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH), which I lead, is advocating for bold reforms that will lower insurance costs, reduce operational expenses, and stabilize housing for the long term. By encouraging risk reduction, improving access to affordable coverage, and incentivizing safe, well-maintained properties, these measures will protect residents, prevent costly claims, and strengthen the financial health of affordable housing.

We must also remove outdated legal and regulatory barriers that make building affordable housing more expensive and complicated. The Scaffold Law imposes strict liability on property owners and contractors for certain construction accidents, driving up construction and insurance costs without improving safety outcomes. NYSAFAH is advocating for an exemption for affordable housing developments, allowing a comparative negligence standard instead. This change would reduce costs, remove barriers to development, and make more projects financially feasible, all while maintaining strong protections for workers.

Affordable housing is not a luxury. It is the foundation of strong communities, a healthy economy, and opportunity for every New Yorker. Every unit preserved or built is a family secured, a neighborhood strengthened, and a future unlocked. By addressing insurance costs, operational inefficiencies, and regulatory barriers together, we can ensure every dollar invested goes further, protects tenants, and builds more homes.

The stakes could not be higher, and the solutions are within our reach. What we need now is the courage to act. It is time to be bold, to invest, and to unlock opportunity making affordable housing a reality for all New Yorkers.

Carlina Rivera is president and CEO of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing and a former member of the New York City Council from Manhattan.