Statement by NYSAC President Dan McCoy in Response to New York City’s Expansion of its Rental Voucher Program to Counties Outside of the City

Counties across the state are already struggling to help residents find affordable housing, and the plan announced this week by New York City to expand its rental assistance voucher program to be used statewide will make that task even more challenging. We’re also concerned that it will further strain county services like safety net, mental health, public health, and education that are already stretched thin.

This is simple supply and demand; more people competing for a small number of affordable units will make it harder for local residents to find housing they can afford. I know that in Albany County, over 37% of the vouchers we have for eligible households can’t be used because there isn’t enough housing–with a sudden increase in competition, that percentage will only get larger.

We recognize that New York City is facing a crisis, but so is every other municipality throughout New York State when dealing with housing shortages. This shift compounds the problem across our state. With no coordination or communication, it just creates more problems. We need leadership from our state and federal partners to address what’s really driving this crisis, a broken immigration system and a lack of affordable housing that’s impacting almost every community in New York—not just New York City.

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Media Contact: Mark LaVigne | MLavigne@nysac.org | 518-465-1473 x206