Officials with the NAACP New York State Conference on Wednesday said they were encouraged by Governor Kathy Hochul’s upcoming legislative agenda, but cautioned they would scrutinize the details to assess how the proposals would affect the daily lives of Black New Yorkers.
The conference conducted an online legislative briefing to discuss the governor’s State-of-the-State Address, which focused on a variety of policy goals including the expansion of universal childcare, streamlining building and infrastructure projects, bolstering public safety, and pushing back against the policies of President Donald Trump.
Housing
L. Joy Williams, president of the NAACP New York State Conference, said the governor will likely weigh a wide range of policy priorities that has a broad appeal as she seeks re-election this year. That said, the group plans to to dissect every policy detail as they emerge with an equity lens, especially with housing, Williams said.
“It's the landlords against us. It is defining affordability. And from our perspective, we want to make sure that we are advocating on behalf of black New Yorkers and particularly Black New Yorkers who have been told for generations the way to build wealth in this country is through home ownership,” she said.
Christopher Alexander, the executive director of the NAACP New York State Conference, said he hoped the state would advance policy on land trusts, where a community-based, nonprofit organization can work with the government to conserve land and housing.
It would be great to see how to lower the cost of building and finding new incentives to create and maintain housing projects, he said.
“[We need to] make sure that while we're also creating the revenue stream or the financial support for these programs, that we're adding space for where they could exist,” he said.
The officials also said they want housing policies to be more nuanced, taking into account the needs of all segments of Black residents, including homeowners, renters with large corporate landlords, and those renting from small property owners.
Childcare Funding
Williams also noted her desire to see a funding pipeline that would truly activate universal childcare, including money for college for business owners, funding to open and operate early childhood centers, and to boost staff who can work there.
“It's not only paying the fees, but also ensuring that we have the facilities and resources,” and making sure staff are paid a living wage, Williams said.
Widening the lens on each proposal will help ensure Black New Yorkers are part of the entire pipeline, she added.
Disinformation and AI
Both officials were also encouraged to hear Hochul discuss advancing legislation that requires AI-generated content to include labeling about its origins and creation. Called “provenance data,” this information may be used like a digital nutrition label, allowing people to better understand more about where content comes from — as well as what might be real and what’s not.
Williams said AI disclosure policies would help curb voter suppression and election fraud, especially in the Black community.
“We know that Black folks, Black voters are a number one target for misinformation and disinformation given our voting history,” Williams said.
Fight Against Trump Policies, Need for Further Prison Reform
Williams said the conference supports the passage of the New York for All Act, which helps immigrant New Yorkers lead more open lives and take care of family, preserves state and local resources for our communities, and ensures New York dollars cannot be diverted to carry out a cruel, politicized immigration agenda.
Alexander also highlighted that the governor wanted to introduce legislation that allows individuals to bring state-level civil actions against federal officers who violate New Yorkers' U.S. constitutional rights, in addition to a possible ban on protests within 25 feet of the property line at houses of worship so those who simply want to pray can do so without fear or harassment.
Although the officials gave an overall good assessment of Hochul’s speech, they noted their disappointment that she did not mention prison reform measures. Most people incarcerated in New York prisons are Black or Hispanic, according to data from the nonprofit Vera Institute.
