De Blasio Announces 2016's Affordable Housing Progress

New York City’s Mayor de Blasio says his administration has made huge strides in providing affordable housing to some New Yorkers. But some say the efforts haven’t been enough.

The mayor says his housing plan has financed more than 60,000 affordable apartments for New Yorkers. That's the most units built or protected in any year since 1989. His Housing New York (HNY) Plan involves the construction of low-income housing and the preservation of the affordability of some apartments. The plan comes as a relief to the many residents facing gentrification in all five of the city’s boroughs. But some middle- and low-income residents are still concerned about rising rent costs. De Blasio says the concerns of these community members won't be ignored as the city grows.

The mayor says, “Yes our city will keep growing. Yes development will keep happening. But we are determined to make sure it is development that benefits those who have built our city and kept it great.”

But "affordable" means different things to different people. 

Giselle Routhier is a director for the Coalition for the Homeless. She says the mayor's housing plan hasn't done enough to benefit those who need assistance the most: “What we’ve seen is that there is not enough units that are being made available to homeless and extremely low income New Yorkers given the need.”

Mayor de Blasio has included the construction of more affordable units on his 2017 agenda.