Carlina Rivera, president and CEO of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing, said in a statement May 26 that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s housing plan advances efforts to speed up production, preserve affordable and supportive housing and strengthen long-term housing stability for New Yorkers.
Rising costs, aging buildings and increasing service demands are placing pressure on affordable housing providers. The administration’s focus on faster approvals, expanded preservation tools and increased capital investment represents progress in addressing the city’s housing shortage.
The transformation of SPEED from a planning report into a set of operational reforms, including a one-stop approval system and a centralized project management structure designed to reduce delays across multiple agencies and shorten timelines for projects requiring zoning changes.
“We look forward to working with the administration and our partners in federal and state government, as well as the nonprofit and for-profit spaces, to ensure these initiatives are effectively implemented and translate into housing that is financially viable to build, preserve and operate for the long term,” said Carlina Rivera.
Rivera also pointed to planned updates to Housing Connect aimed at reducing delays in leasing completed affordable units, along with higher city capital commitments to support both new development and preservation.
Initiatives such as an Affordable Housing Fast Track for transit-oriented development and proposed rezonings along transit corridors would expand the pipeline of available housing sites and support production goals.
NYSAFAH supports measures aimed at reducing cost pressures, including insurance and water expenses, as well as reforms to code enforcement and the creation of the TOOLS program to stabilize at-risk properties. The group also noted significant investment in NYCHA.
Improved enforcement procedures, including faster post-cure violation clearance, would help restore compliance and reduce administrative delays affecting property owners.
The organization looks forward to working with city, state and federal partners, along with nonprofit and private-sector stakeholders, to ensure the plan is implemented effectively and produces housing that remains financially viable to build, preserve and operate over the long term.
