The New York City Council passed the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, known as COPA – legislation designed to stabilize and expand the supply of permanently affordable and community-controlled homes in New York City.
COPA gives qualified entities — community, land trusts and other nonprofits — a first opportunity to purchase certain multifamily buildings before investors when they go up for purchase.
The bill will now go to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s desk, who has previously expressed support for the bill. In May of 2026, Mamdani wrote that he was “proud to support COPA,” and looking forward to “working with the City Council to pass this important bill.”
The bill, sponsored by Councilmember Sandy Nurse, advanced through the council with 38 votes in support.
“COPA will keep thousands of struggling New Yorkers in their homes, preserve neighborhood affordability and bring more at-risk housing into community control,” Nurse said. “It’s another tool now at our disposal to fight back against our city’s affordable housing crisis.”
Now, before putting a multifamily building up for sale, a landlord must notify all qualified entities and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development of its intent to sell. If after 20 days, qualified entities do not express interest to purchase, or if their offers have been rejected after the 70 day offer period, the building can be sold on the open market.
The legislation has received support from more than 200 community and tenant groups, affordable housing developers and community development financial institutions, according to a press release from the New Economy Project.
Jamal Clayton Robinson, executive director of IMPACCT Brooklyn said that during a time when Brooklynites spend half their income on rent, the legislation is a “welcome and necessary step.”
According to Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso’s office, about 30 percent of Brooklyn renters are severely rent burdened.
Organizations like the New York Apartment Association, however, said that while they support the Act, root causes and threats to existing housing crises still remain.
Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association, said that while nonprofits already own housing across the city, it is often “untenable.”
A 2025 report from the Association of Neighborhood and Housing Development found that more than 56 percent of units already operated by community development corporations and other nonprofits were financially distressed, despite receiving government subsidies.
“Celebrating legislation without tackling the root issue puts the housing New Yorkers depend on at risk,” Burgos said.
“Lawmakers must focus on the underlying financial challenges jeopardizing housing to preserve existing homes, prevent future losses and end the trend of tens of thousands of vacant rent-stabilized units year over year.”
