ANHD 2016 Building the Community Development Movement
ANHD’s policy research and advocacy agenda is currently focused on the following issues:
o Permanent Affordability: We are continuing to build the public and policy-makers consensus that city-backed housing should be affordable for the long-term by developing research, public education materials, a media campaign, and supporting city adoption of new policies that institutionalize an increase of required affordability in city-backed projects from 30 to 60 years, and create a new policy tool to require truly permanent affordability at the City’s discretion.
o Real Affordability: We are continuing to build the public and policy-makes consensus that city-backed housing should be actually affordable to residents of the local community. This will require both setting the public consensus, and developing new financing tools, include tax-credit spreading, and other strategies.
o 421a Developers Tax Break Reform: the 421a program costs New York City $1.3 billion in deferred revenue each year, with very little affordable housing built in return. With the tax break expiring in June, 2015, ANHD is leading a city-wide coalition to fundamentally reform the law – under the banner “Fix It Or End It” – so that the affordable housing benefits can be substantial, and felt throughout the city .
o Guaranteed Inclusionary Zoning: We are developing timely policy research, an effective media campaign, and coordinate sophisticated city-wide advocacy to support the development and quick implementation of a new Guaranteed Inclusionary Zoning Polciy to achieve at least 20% affordable housing in all areas with a significant new or recent increase in zoning density.
o Preservation Transfer of At-Risk Private Affordable Housing: We are using our well-established research and on-the-ground network to find overleveraged distressed affordable housing that is at risk of being sold to speculators who are likely to harass and evict current low-income tenants in order to raise rents. After identifying these buildings, ANHD is using our new First Look Protocol and the new city program Preserving City Neighborhoods to engage the bank, the City, and local CBOs to transfer properties to responsible housing organizations who will keep affordable rates.