On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced new affordable housing policies in New York with Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY).
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:
https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript
Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Please sit down and good morning on this almost spring day.
00:11We're getting there.
00:12We're getting there.
00:13I can feel it.
00:14As I take my walks and don't have to put as many layers on in the first thing in the morning.
00:17You know, as we come here, we think about springtime.
00:20You also think about renewal.
00:21You think about hope.
00:24When I think about hope, I think about housing.
00:26I think about the people I just met in the next building who had their lives just so
00:31enriched by having the dignity of a safe, beautiful home over their heads at an affordable
00:36price.
00:37And it's not just about the bricks we build with, but it's also the promise of a better
00:42life.
00:43It's not about the steel that goes into it, it's about the stability that that home offers
00:47as well.
00:48That's what this place, Station 25, represents to the families and even the little two-year-old
00:53named Ivy I just met and gave a little duck to for Easter.
00:58This place embodies the transformation that I'm fighting for all over this state.
01:04We lost our ambition a long time ago.
01:07This state stopped building, many, many reasons, lots of excuses, too much political capital
01:14had to be spent in order to get anything done and people didn't make the effort until I
01:20took office and I saw what had happened to our state.
01:24When you think about affordability, the number one expense for a family is always their housing,
01:32whether they can pay rent or even have the dream of possibly scraping off money for that
01:38down payment of their own home.
01:41You also think about this old fire station, this was a fire station, run-down buildings
01:45that can be brought back to life if we put the resources in and have the vision.
01:51This has energy-efficient appliances, playgrounds, I just saw a playground and I can picture
01:55Ivy having a good time there with other two-year-olds and we're going to continue jump-starting
02:00more than two dozen affordable housing projects the same way we did with this one.
02:06So today I'm announcing $270 million to go toward 28 affordable housing projects spanning
02:13every region of the state, from Buffalo to Long Island, and this comes from a mix of
02:18state and federal low-income housing tax credits.
02:22Rents here start under $500, $500 they start and go up to about $1,300.
02:28There was a time when that didn't sound affordable, today it does.
02:33And when you add it up, these 28 projects will equate to 1,800 new homes, thousands
02:40and thousands of New Yorkers will have the joy of having their own place, that magical
02:46move-in day when everything seems possible.
02:50I've done it a lot.
02:51You know, a future where your life isn't so dependent on a landlord who can toss you out,
02:57or whether you're going to worry a little bit less about your bills because you can
03:01afford your home.
03:02I saw the transformation from the homeless people living.
03:08My grandparents had a two-bedroom house with eight children.
03:12The six boys lived in the attic, it wasn't heated, it wasn't cooled, and it was like
03:16a dormitory.
03:17And I saw my dad's room.
03:20Then my parents lived in a trailer park, they were so happy to have their little place.
03:24My brother was born there, I think there's stories of him sleeping in a drawer, but I'm
03:28not sure if that's true or not.
03:30It was tiny, I've been back to that neighborhood, it was tiny.
03:33Then I came along, Irish family a year later, they got a little apartment above a flat that
03:40was just in the shadow of the steel plant where dad worked.
03:43But as time progressed, my family's opportunities progressed.
03:51And you could see their success in that little Cape Cod house, and then the home with four
03:56bedrooms with their six kids, and packing us into rooms.
04:00We were always sharing with other students, we had exchange students all the time.
04:04We had children from the city come live with us, we had children with disabilities come
04:08live with us.
04:09My parents, despite we were tight, they always had room for more.
04:11I knew what a family meant, but I also knew what a house meant, to house all of them and
04:15the people they invited in.
04:17So to me, this is personal.
04:19It's a personal quest to make sure that everybody has the same opportunities that I had growing
04:24up and others deserve.
04:27We also have an opportunity with this Congress.
04:30Now, some have given up, I won't, as Paul and I served together back when I first got
04:38elected and we'd sit together as two upstaters sharing a lot of values, a lot of stories
04:44about what it was like to serve in then a Republican-dominated House of Representatives.
04:50So we know how to fight.
04:52But if Congress would pass bipartisan legislation, emphasis on bipartisan legislation, and expand
04:59the federal low-income housing tax credit, that would pave the way for over two million
05:05new homes across this nation and more than 100,000 right here in New York.
05:09I could use 100,000 more homes here in the state of New York.
05:13This is something we want to make sure we all champion, and I'm real excited about that
05:16effort as well.
05:18So we're going to keep doing it here in New York, not asking Congress to do anything we're
05:21not willing to do here.
05:22I propose doubling our investment from $15 million to $30 million.
05:27So I'll walk the walk, talk the talk, and we'll get it done.
05:31But wouldn't it be better if I could leverage that investment with so much more if the federal
05:35government in a bipartisan way would understand that this is a need across the nation, rural
05:41areas, suburban areas, urban areas.
05:44And this continues to be a top priority of my administration.
05:49Some of you who follow my career know that I, a few years ago, started out talking about
05:52housing when nobody else was.
05:54And we got some progress my first year.
05:56I didn't get everything I wanted until last year.
05:59And yes, the budget was a little bit late, but I was not leaving town until I had a meaningful
06:04housing package literally transforming every part of the state.
06:09And I wanted to lift barriers to new construction that have been plaguing the state for decades.
06:13You know, a lot of play it safers and those keyboard warriors saying, it'll never be done,
06:18never be done.
06:19We got it done.
06:21We fought hard, and we had the most significant housing deal ever passed in Albany in about
06:2650 years.
06:27And also, in order to invite more municipalities to see the possibilities, we started the Pro
06:33Housing Community Initiative.
06:35And what I did was bundle together all the discretionary money we had that could help
06:39communities and Main Street programs and the downtown revitalization programs, bundled
06:45it all together into about $650 million.
06:48I'm sweetening it with another $100 million this year and saying, if you're a pro-housing
06:52community, if you're willing to do what it takes to make sure the zoning laws are changed
06:56and you look at land within your jurisdiction and see the possibilities and work with developers
07:02and create more housing, then you have access to that money.
07:06Now, at first, it was 20 little communities.
07:09It was a lot of money to divvy up for 20 communities.
07:12And I think people quickly saw, like, hey, we better sign up.
07:16I'm really proud that 300 communities across the state of New York have now joined our
07:21pro-housing.
07:28And we have tens of thousands of units in the pipeline.
07:32This is what is so exciting.
07:33I'm always asking my team, Tanya's here, did I say, give me the numbers, give me the numbers.
07:38My housing team is doing an incredible job.
07:41First of all, with the extension of 421A in New York City, up to 71,000 more units.
07:48The support we just gave the mayor of New York with the City of Yes, 80,000 units for
07:53zoning changes, 15,000 through repurposing state sites.
07:58But also, I announced an ambitious plan to have $25 billion toward 100,000 units for
08:06my first year in office.
08:08And we are, I'm proud to say, more than halfway there to meeting our goals, so we're going
08:11to be ahead of schedule.
08:12We have 55,000 there as well.
08:15And so, there's other ways, I think we've had 350,000, is that right, 350,000 units
08:24have been unlocked through all these various programs since I've become governor.
08:27And I'm going to make sure it gets done.
08:29Because that's transformational for families, and I want to make sure that we don't leave
08:32anyone on the sidelines.
08:35Because it means everything.
08:36A home, your own home, means everything.
08:38Just look in the eyes of the residents here, who are so grateful to have this opportunity.
08:43And there's a lot of demand for this.
08:45There's about 1,400 applications Conifer had, is that right, who's from Conifer?
08:511,400 applications for 50 units.
08:55We definitely need more.
08:57And that's heartbreaking when you think about it.
09:00Because 1,350 people were disappointed.
09:03So we have to keep building.
09:04We cannot lose that ambition, and I will make sure we have the resources.
09:07I want the federal government to help us tremendously, and I want to thank everyone who's participating
09:11here today.
09:12Congressman Paul Tocco, who I'll introduce in a second, but also a brand new senator
09:17who's learning the ropes, Pat Fahey, who I'm so proud to work with her.
09:21And anything with housing, she says, I want to be there, because she is a real housing
09:24champion as well.
09:25And representing the Affordable Housing Association, which has been a real dynamo force to make
09:31sure that we can focus our energies on the right projects.
09:35Brent Garwood has joined us as well, so you'll be hearing from him.
09:37But Paul Tocco, you are a great, great champion for this region, a dear friend of mine, and
09:43I'm so proud that you could join us today and give a little reprieve coming out of Washington.
09:48So enjoy your get out of, I won't say get out of jail pass, I won't say that.
09:55Ladies and gentlemen, Paul Tocco.
10:02Good morning, everyone, and thank you, Governor, for that kind introduction, and it does feel
10:07good to be home and out of the all kinds of tug of war that's going on currently in Washington,
10:13but fights that are worth fighting.
10:15And so many people, millions in our country are struggling to find affordable, quality
10:21housing.
10:23And Governor, I want to thank you for planting the seeds here in New York for response to
10:28a housing crisis.
10:29You show great leadership, show great passion for this issue, and it's great to be here
10:35to announce with you the $270 million in LIHTC, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit investment
10:42that is being made in New York.
10:43And so we do want to match that fervor and continue to advance policies that provide
10:50for the housing initiatives, and thank you, Senator Fahy, also for your support in making
10:56certain that we keep this front and center as a prime priority.
11:01But in the United States, I firmly believe no one should have to make that tough struggle
11:06between a rent payment, a mortgage payment, their groceries, and a utility bill.
11:13It's a dream.
11:14It's the American dream to own a home, to have a safe, stable abode, and that abode
11:21is where the magic happens.
11:23Is it not?
11:24It's where families cluster, where friends come and visit, where memories are written,
11:30and those memories sustain and define us.
11:34They nourish us, and they last a lifetime.
11:38And so, you know, the assembling of programs that can respond to that kind of activity
11:43in people's lives provides more than just stability for the household.
11:48It's where great stories are written.
11:51Home is where the heart is, as we all know.
11:55And so efforts like this are, in the governor's words, truly transformational, and thank you
12:00for that.
12:01But if we want to solve our historic housing shortage, we must invest in affordable housing
12:07programs.
12:08And it's why I'm a strong supporter of the LIHTC program.
12:12It is one that has really advanced a lot of opportunity as we tackle this whole issue
12:18of housing crisis.
12:20And it's one of the most important federal tools we have, and so we have to maintain
12:24that effort.
12:25There's a drive now to get rid of so many programs, and we have to defend these programs.
12:30But every dollar of federal tax credit leverages a lot of private sector investment.
12:36And so it's a good way to really grow the regional economy.
12:41It doesn't just benefit those moving into those homes.
12:45Little Ivy is all excited.
12:46That's so obvious.
12:48And she does love the ducks, so.
12:51But it's more than just the joy and satisfaction that beholds them.
12:57It's also providing for jobs, sound paying jobs, increasing public safety, and contributing
13:04to thriving communities, communities that begin to inspire one another on this housing
13:10shortage and to make some efforts to address that shortage.
13:15And without the stress of unstable housing, people can then focus on other ideals that
13:22are important to them, career advancement, investment in their children's future and
13:26their education, or to just be more engaged in the community that they call home.
13:32So children in stable, affordable homes perform better in school, and they certainly have
13:39better health outcomes.
13:40So this has got its multiple benefits that keep rippling into the quality of life of
13:46the individuals and families that we're affecting.
13:49And they're not forced to avoid other essentials like medications and health care and food
13:57costs that are still being far too expensive.
14:02So it enables them to have that freedom.
14:04And they're also not preoccupied with how they can afford that rent and so can then
14:10move into pursuing career advancement opportunities.
14:13So there's just across the board good that happens, and they can save money and work
14:17towards a more financial secure future.
14:21So investing in LIHTC and programs like it is not just about building homes.
14:25It's about building a stronger, more equitable country.
14:29And in a time when so many essential programs are on the table to be cut, I will do my best
14:35to make certain that we go forward and advance even more investment in housing rather than
14:41cut deeply into these programs.
14:44We have to understand what the basic effect is when we do that.
14:48We're denying all sorts of opportunity and investments in our community if we cut these
14:53programs, if we cut something like LIHTC.
14:55And we also then do suffocate the hope that accompanies this investment for the families
15:02that will now have this secure, stable housing.
15:06I think, you know, with this program being around since the late 80s, it was important
15:11to go through various transformational stages.
15:15And the latest was when we did the Inflation Reduction Act.
15:18When we had done that, we made certain that those tax credits for energy efficiency could
15:23be maintained, be coupled with the housing opportunity with LIHTC at no expense to the
15:31generous level of LIHTC.
15:33So that it was a win-win situation when we did that too.
15:35So we're not only providing affordable housing, but energy efficient housing.
15:40That's an assignment to each of us to become more efficient as we build and remodel and
15:45reform the housing situation out there.
15:48So Governor, it's an honor to be here with you today to announce this $270 million investment,
15:54to know that it will be spread across the map of New York, but will bring a ray of hope
15:59to so many people.
16:00And that's what this is all about.
16:03So government interaction in a way that really provides a strengthener for families and gives
16:08them more opportunity.
16:09So with that, let me acknowledge now and introduce my senator from the 46th, I was going to say
16:17congressional district, state senate district.
16:21Pat has been a friend for a long time.
16:23Even before you entered the assembly, her work with the school board efforts in Albany,
16:28monumental.
16:29And was very passionate as an assembly member.
16:32I watched her work and it was terrific.
16:35And having worked alongside her and alongside the governor, I saw two people who are really
16:41engaged and show great compassion and insert a lot of energy into what they believe is
16:48essential investment.
16:50And that's true of Pat.
16:51So proud to introduce my senator, she's moved on from a great career in the state assembly
16:56to now serve in her first term in the New York state senate, Pat Fahey.
17:08Thank you, Paul Tonko.
17:09Thank you, Governor.
17:11There is no doubt that there is a fierce, fierce need for housing.
17:17Including affordable housing.
17:18The wait lists are stunning.
17:20So with that fierce need, I am very grateful that we have an incredibly fierce champion
17:26in Governor Hochul who has not let go of this despite the couple of hiccups we gave her
17:31in the legislature, especially a couple of years ago.
17:34She has not let go of this site.
17:37I love the pro-housing communities initiative that started very small, but has grown exponentially
17:46in just a year or two years, including with most of my communities.
17:51So the need, there is a recognition.
17:53We spent difficult years during COVID.
17:56Very difficult years.
17:58And that was not long after the 2010-2012 recession.
18:02We weren't building housing.
18:04And it came to a standstill during COVID.
18:06So there's a lot of reasons, and we can all give excuses.
18:09We focused a lot on some housing supply issues, some of the protections which are needed.
18:16But we let go of the housing growth until you came along, Governor, and really began
18:22to focus us, push us on this.
18:25And now we see we are playing catch up.
18:28We do need the federal government to help us there.
18:30Thank you, Paul Tonko, who is an amazing champion.
18:35And just tireless in terms of trying to promote this.
18:38But we face difficult days, incredibly difficult days with Washington.
18:43So the focus is on the states.
18:47We will continue to plea at the federal level, continue to rely on those tax credits and
18:54talk about that need.
18:56But clearly, we can't wait.
18:59And I appreciate that you're not waiting, Governor, that we are moving ahead.
19:05One of my favorite stats is just a couple of years ago, in New York alone, they estimate
19:12that over one third of our residents are spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
19:20That's a rather, that's a scary number, because that means they're often facing housing instability.
19:28When you face housing instability or any form of homelessness, we know that fuels the mental
19:34health challenges.
19:35It fuels a whole host of health challenges.
19:38And again, thank you for your leadership on that.
19:40And certainly Congressman Tonko just referred to that.
19:43Those issues have not gotten easier.
19:45If anything, they've become more challenged since COVID.
19:48So when we solve the housing stability and the housing needs in this state, let alone
19:55in this country, we help solve family stability.
19:59We help solve the mental health, or I like to say mental wellness of those families.
20:05And we also know it helps our education levels.
20:09You stabilize the family, the kids can focus on the ABCs and not worry about the stress
20:15they're seeing in their parents.
20:17So it's just a win, win, win.
20:20I've been here before for this event here at Station 25.
20:25What an amazing investment.
20:27And as the Congressman mentioned, that we've combined these tax credits with energy efficiency
20:34efforts.
20:35And it's, again, a win-win because we know our health, our climate challenges are not
20:42going away.
20:44We either keep spending billions of dollars on all these weather-related disasters that
20:48we just saw again this week in so many states with tornadoes, or we continue to make these
20:55investments.
20:56And it's healthier for the residents here as well.
20:58So I couldn't be more pleased.
21:01I'm honored to join you, honored to partner with both of you as you continue to champion
21:06these efforts.
21:07And I hope we're going to continue to cut a lot of ribbons throughout this state.
21:12And somebody who knows this better than most and has also been a longtime champion, and
21:17that's Brett Garwood, who is the New York State Association, head of the New York State
21:21Association for Affordable Housing.
21:23Brett.
21:30Thank you very much.
21:31I wanted to thank Conifer for hosting this.
21:33I got the opportunity to tour this property when it was under construction.
21:38It's great to see the final product.
21:40And thanks to the governor for the exciting announcement today.
21:44My name is Brett Garwood.
21:45I'm chair of the board of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing, NYSAFA.
21:50And NYSAFA represents the housing providers and the professionals who create the housing,
21:55the affordable housing across New York State that we desperately need.
21:59Our primary purpose is to advocate for the creation and preservation of affordable housing.
22:05Because more housing is exactly what we need to address the housing crisis.
22:10I also want to point out that New York State, and I think about this a lot, New York State
22:15is in many ways a microcosm of the entire nation when you talk about the bipartisan
22:20support for the housing crisis.
22:23And these 28 properties are an example of what can happen in every type of community
22:27that exists.
22:28In our urban communities, our suburban communities, our rural communities.
22:32The LIHTC program provides solutions for every type of situation that needs housing.
22:40And it's one of the great parts of the low-income housing tax credit program.
22:46So I want to thank Governor Hogel for the announcement of the 28 projects.
22:50This is a huge step forward in achieving the five-year housing plan.
22:55And as I said, the primary way that we create all this affordable housing is the low-income
22:59housing tax credit program.
23:01That is why NYSAFA is very much in support of an expansion of that program at the federal
23:06level.
23:07It is the key ingredient to doing more.
23:09And New York State is proposing to double the state low-income housing tax credit, together
23:15These two resources can allow us to address the housing crisis and do more.
23:20And the New York State Association for Affordable Housing's members are definitely ready, willing,
23:25and able to build more.
23:26We have a giant pipeline among all of our members, and we hope to impact every community
23:31across the state.
23:32So thank you very much.
23:33Appreciate that.
23:34All right.
23:40That concludes our program.
23:43At this point, we will now move to do a picture with the property owners of Station 25.
23:55So let's talk about how we're going to build more housing.
23:58$270 million investment in 28 projects all across the state, resulting in 1,800 units.
24:05Joined by our Congressman Paul Tonko here, who is also a champion for this in Washington,
24:10as we work to expand the tax credits available for states from the federal government.
24:16And we're doubling our numbers from $15 million to $30 million.
24:20And Congressman Tonko is going to work on this bipartisan legislation to increase the
24:24federal government's investment in these tax credits that have been very successfully supporting
24:29affordable housing since 1986.
24:33Any questions on topic?
24:37You mentioned that this is part of your five-year $25 billion plan.
24:41Do you have a rough estimate of how much of that $25 billion, whether through tax credits
24:45or other programs, the state has spent on those units so far?
24:49We've built 55,000 units already, so we're ahead of schedule to hit the 100,000.
24:54Tanya, I'll ask you to answer the question.
24:56I'll look on that.
24:57Okay.
24:58You want to get that up?
24:59Okay.
25:00We'll get that number of the $25 billion, how much has been spent.
25:01We'll get that for you.
25:02I know that there's going to be a rally happening soon in the Capitol in favor of the HABP Housing
25:08Access Voucher Program, which doesn't build more housing, but does make it easier for
25:12people to access housing.
25:15Both houses have included it in their budget, again, this year you have consistently not
25:20included it.
25:21Is that going to change this year, or why do you remain opposed to that legislation?
25:24No, I'm going to be staying focused on building more supply.
25:27That is one of the reasons we got into this situation, because no one had the ambition
25:31to build.
25:32I'm going to be focused on creating more affordable housing, but also the more supply we have,
25:37the prices will get down, and that's why we're in a crisis for anyone who's trying to find
25:42a home.
25:43Anything else on the topic?
25:44Yeah, Kate.
25:45Governor, to follow up on that.
25:46I know homelessness is a new high.
25:47What in the budget will help with that?
25:48As much as building more supply, what about the people who already don't have a place
25:49to be?
25:50No, we have a multifaceted approach to this.
26:00If you talk about homelessness, for example, on the subways or in the city, we are very
26:05focused on continuing our SOS program, where we've found and secured homes for over 800
26:12people now over the last couple of years, which is very dramatic.
26:14That's 800 people who found their homes on the subways and in the streets.
26:19Right now, we have about 4,000 street homeless individuals, most of them downstates, although
26:24there are some in our urban areas upstate.
26:27That is actually a number that we're driving down, but compared to other urban areas, it
26:33is dramatically lower.
26:34The point being is that there are people who do not have a home to go to at night or choose
26:39not to, but the rest are in sheltered situations, which is exactly what we're looking for.
26:45We have money to continue those programs to literally engage with homeless people, not
26:50in a law enforcement manner, but also in a way where we're having teams of people engage
26:56with them and try to persuade them to go into the housing.
26:58These are social workers.
26:59These are people that are housing experts, clinicians.
27:03That is the strategy we've taken because this is a real problem.
27:08More than half the people have mental health problems, and we're dealing with that as part
27:12of the budget as well, trying to change our laws related to getting people the compassionate
27:18care they deserve, which they're not getting right now.
27:21Other ones have substance abuse programs, so it's also about building more housing that
27:24is supportive housing to deal with both those problems.
27:27Alex?
27:28I was just going to add, if I could, on the housing issue.
27:34With the housing issue, probably the shortfall in housing stock nationwide is around $4 billion.
27:42As we go through these battles with the budget this year, it'll be the leadership like that
27:47of Kathy Hochul, of Governor Hochul, that should inspire other states to join in the
27:52fight.
27:53I think we need that push from the state perspective to make certain that we maintain and enhance
27:57our efforts in Washington.
28:00The light tech investment is an important one.
28:04It leverages a lot of private sector dollars.
28:06We've seen how it's restored this section of the city, and it's really important.
28:12It's important to maintain that effort, but with the leadership here, with the focus that
28:16the governor has put on housing, that would inspire, I would hope, other states to do
28:21likewise, because we're going to need every push to respond to that $4 million shortfall.
28:26Alex?
28:27We're in a situation of will they, won't they on tariffs with Canada.
28:32Obviously, Canada imports a lot of the base resources that we need to build more housing
28:38supply in New York and nationwide.
28:40Do you have any contingency plans in place for if those tariffs do go into long-term
28:45effect?
28:46Well, this has been something I've convened many conversations around.
28:49When I was in Buffalo the first couple days after it was announced that they were going
28:53to really target our largest trading partner, Canada, and knowing that we get so much timber
28:59from them, and everybody from our businesses in Buffalo that are part of the supply chain
29:04back and forth.
29:06There's vehicles that are built in Canada, but the parts are made in New York.
29:09We know how the synergy that's there, that's now jeopardized, all the way up to the north
29:13country where the supplies of timber comes over readily, and we count on that.
29:19The contingency means that we continue pressing the federal government to realize the damage
29:24that this is doing to the people who supported the president.
29:29Much of upstate supported the president.
29:31This is the people that will be hurt the hardest, especially in the north country.
29:34But also, yes, this is going to hurt our ability to build the volume we want to.
29:38If every unit goes up more because the cost of steel, aluminum, and lumber goes up, of
29:43course there's going to be a suppressant effect on our ability to build more housing.
29:46That is enormously frustrating.
29:47One of the reasons I'm doubling this credit from $15 million to $30 million, gives us
29:53more play there, and we're going to continue investing in programs.
29:56But I as a state, nor can any state, make up for the damage that is being done by Trump
30:02tariffs.
30:03I'm not going to pretend we can.
30:04People are going to understand very clearly the impact that this is having on their everyday
30:09lives.
30:10I have a family possibly paying upwards of $2,000 to $3,000 more for everything.
30:15And the war is just getting started.
30:17I had conversations with the premier of Ontario about this a couple of days ago.
30:20I met him in Washington.
30:24It's a real shame that we've come to this, that we're at war with a country that we considered
30:30a close neighbor, a close ally.
30:33And beyond just the supplies, fewer Canadians are coming over.
30:38I was in Manhattan asking what occupancy is like in the hotels, and they said many
30:43Canadians are canceling reservations.
30:48Places like theaters in Buffalo are feeling the effect.
30:50Again, our border communities are feeling it head on, and that has to be spoken about
30:57and covered.
30:58And people need to understand what is driving this.
31:01It is the Trump tariffs.
31:02Anything else on housing?
31:03Jimmy?
31:04Congressman, I guess both of you could answer this.
31:06Federal government's in cut mode, it's in reduced funding mode.
31:12How are you going to be able to continue with your initiatives in the light of that uncertainty?
31:18I think for me, I've said all along, I can't fix what they're doing to us.
31:23I don't have the resources.
31:24I cannot make up for $93 billion that we get from the federal government every year.
31:29It is not possible.
31:31I wanted to sound the alarm day one, like these cuts will have a, we will be the collateral
31:37damage, the roadkill in the way of these policies, because there's not a lot we can do about
31:43it.
31:44I'm not throwing in the towel, I'm just saying realistically, how do I make up that money?
31:49It is not possible.
31:51So we stand up, we fight, we challenge, we go to court.
31:54When they withhold money, we see you in court.
31:56Sometimes it's successful, sometimes it's not.
31:58That is our strategy right now.
32:00But also, as I've said, the world can change in a better direction in 2026, which is not
32:07that far off.
32:09We put Paul Tonko in the majority, all of a sudden there's checks and balance and the
32:14slide stops.
32:15That's what I'm focused on beyond just trying to figure out the damage control to protect
32:20our state.
32:21In terms of a response, Jimmy, I think that housing as a crisis doesn't know boundaries.
32:28So there are Republican-led communities that are suffering just as Democratic-led communities
32:32are with the housing initiatives and the need to invest in housing.
32:36So I would hope that the successes out there, like the one we're celebrating today, will
32:41be storytelling for all of us, that you build the people's response here and the pressure
32:48on all of us to move forward.
32:50Look, the president campaigned on reducing costs, and all he's doing is increasing costs.
32:55So promises kept cannot be promises broken.
32:59And we need to remind the administration of this.
33:02When you're going to add to the price of lumber and steel, you're going to definitely put
33:07a dent into the opportunities, how far you can stretch that dollar.
33:11And you fight so hard for tax credit, you fight so hard for investments to respond to
33:16that $4 million shortfall.
33:18And we shouldn't have a man-made government or president-made initiative here that is
33:24going to cause yet another layer of crisis.
33:27So this is going to be impacting the consumers, and we are going to use that as a pitch at
33:33the table, at the budget table, certainly at the appropriate committee table.
33:37I'm on the budget committee in the House.
33:39We're going to raise these issues and talk about these successes and encourage our counterparts
33:43to do the same and challenge them.
33:45If they don't want to talk about it, challenge them, because they're realizing some of these
33:49tax credits across the country.
33:52Great.
33:53All right.
33:54I think we're good with on-topics.
33:55Thank you, Congressman Tom.
33:56Okay.
33:58Thanks, everybody.
33:59And thank you, Governor Tania Netanyahu.
34:08All right.
34:09All right.
34:10Let's have some conversation.
34:11I think they had their quote already.
34:12My gosh.
34:13Well, just kind of transitioning from that about federal cuts, your counterparts in the
34:18legislature have proposed increases in income taxes and corporate taxes.
34:22Given the uncertainty, given the fact that there could be cuts coming from the federal
34:27government, should you think about additional revenue-raising measures at this time?
34:32I also have to think about affordability.
34:36For people making $5 million a year is what's on the table.
34:39I am focused on making sure that we do not drive away the individuals who are basically
34:44funding our budget.
34:46Okay.
34:47We've already seen the effects of that.
34:48There was an out-migration of high-net-worth people that began in 2017 when the first elimination
34:54of the state and local tax deduction occurred.
34:56It was very challenging.
34:58The migration continued when people decided not to live in the city, which was the epicenter
35:03of the pandemic.
35:04People left the city at that time.
35:06I need these revenues dramatically, and I don't want to put up policies in place that
35:11will make anyone else decide that they want to leave the state for lower taxes.
35:15I'm proposing a middle-class tax cut, the largest tax rate cut in 70 years.
35:20I'm focused on affordability.
35:22That is what I have to do.
35:24We'll work with the legislature on funding, but I have said I'm not raising income taxes
35:28because I will cut income taxes instead.
35:31That's how I'm going to keep people here.
35:33Rebecca?
35:34Governor, how did your meeting with President Trump go last week?
35:38What did you discuss?
35:39Are you open to revisiting the Constitution pipeline?
35:42What can you tell us about that conversation?
35:44He certainly had that on his mind, but I was talking about congestion pricing multiple
35:48times and made the case about all the data, the perception that it is hurting the city.
35:55I challenged.
35:57I said ridership is up 10 percent.
36:00People are still coming in.
36:01The sidewalks are packed.
36:03Broadway sales are up 21 percent.
36:06Retail sales are up $900 million.
36:10The concern about people not walking in and hurting the little local stores, I was concerned
36:15about, but it's not playing out.
36:17It's hard to find someone who does not describe how liberating it is to have a faster commute
36:22in, people that were naysayers before.
36:24I'm not saying it's 100 percent loved yet, but we've won over a lot of people when they've
36:28seen, oh, I just shaved off 20 minutes.
36:31I shaved off 30 minutes.
36:32It's astounding the effect it's had.
36:35I spent a lot of time, multiple times, going over the benefits, showing more data and all
36:41that.
36:42Certainly, he has his objectives of finding more energy reserves.
36:46I talked about my desire to have the offshore wind industry back online on Long Island because
36:52we invested a lot of money, thousands of jobs, people, I said, that supported you on Long
36:57Island, union members who trained for these jobs at our great training centers, our apprenticeship
37:03programs.
37:04We talked about energy.
37:05We talked about nuclear.
37:06I said, I needed all the above approach that's going to work.
37:09We talked about hydro.
37:11We talked about wind onshore as well.
37:14I talked about how I'd like to have small modular reactors that are very safe.
37:19We're not talking about the large scale ones that people think of from the past.
37:22I announced this back in November.
37:24I said a lot of it has to do with the delays that occur at the Federal Energy Regulatory
37:30Commission.
37:31I talked about maybe you could look at that as an area to streamline efforts there to
37:34help us be able to have the power necessary for our innovation economy, particularly upstate.
37:40We had a lot of conversations about that.
37:42I came back again to congestion pricing a couple more times.
37:47We certainly had a long conversation.
37:49Any headway on any of those issues?
37:51I don't know the answer to that question, but I said the cameras are staying on Friday.
37:57I said the cameras are staying on.
37:58Chantel?
37:59Governor, what is your current mind frame as you approach budget negotiations with legislative
38:04leaders, and do you have any non-negotiables or hardliners on policy items in the budget
38:09this year?
38:10We're having a lot of robust conversations, important conversations.
38:14We started yesterday.
38:15We'll carry on today.
38:16I think we're on a path to have really regularly scheduled meetings with the leaders.
38:21It is very respectful.
38:23There's a lot of listening, and this is not the first time I've sat down with the leaders
38:27since last year.
38:28We've been having ongoing dialogue, so I've been able to share my priorities, and my budget
38:33is the blueprint.
38:34I laid out my highest priorities and what I want to get accomplished, so they know that.
38:39Certainly, the one houses give them their option to put forth some of their ideas and
38:43priorities.
38:44That's part of the process, but I feel like we're going to have a very productive session.
38:48All right.
38:49One more in the back.
38:50Governor, any lessening of the restrictions for financiers that work at the county level,
38:55and do you think that Schumer should resign, or do you support his stance regarding the
38:59budget?
39:00I'm not calling on anyone to resign.
39:02You've never heard me do that.
39:03It would not be appropriate.
39:04Senator Schumer has delivered time and time again for New York State.
39:08We have been very fortunate to have a position in that extremely powerful position to be
39:13able to deliver, whether it's the gateway tunnel, the bipartisan gun legislation, chips.
39:19Mike Rahn has his name on it as well.
39:24I don't want to lose that cloud.
39:25I think he's been delivering for New York impeccably.
39:28People can disagree on different strategies, and I guarantee there'll be many more times
39:32that there's not a unanimous view on a policy on a deal with the Trump administration.
39:37That's fair.
39:38That's fair game to have that kind of dialogue and disagreement.
39:41That's fair game, but he has been incredibly important to the state of New York.
39:45One second.
39:46Other part of your question?
39:47Any lessening of the restrictions for the fired correction officers that want to work
39:52at the county level, not at the state level?
39:55Well, they're only in effect until April 9th, those restrictions.
39:58Now, the process is that when anyone is fired for cause, anyone, this could be a DEC police
40:06officer, they're fired for cause, the process begins to remove your police officer status,
40:12which allows you to secure your gun.
40:16That can be renewed, and if these people want to go work for local law enforcement, certainly
40:21that's their prerogative, but I just want to remind everybody, I'd be very cautious
40:26because these individuals had a responsibility to protect the public and the incarcerated
40:31population, and they walked off the job for 22 days, many of them, and that is something
40:37that's very hard to get over, to comprehend the danger that they left people in, unguarded.
40:44The workers from other unions, CSEA and PEPF, were left there in that situation.
40:49The incarcerated population, without anyone for oversight to stop any conflicts there,
40:56or there could have been an escape.
40:58The communities at large could have been in danger.
41:01That's what we had to deal with for 22 days, and to say that we're going to, oh, forget?
41:08I will never forget that.
41:10They're not ever working for the state of New York.
41:12Can you talk a little bit about whether you and President Trump agree?
41:15We've heard a lot of your areas of disagreement are.
41:18I'm curious what common ground have you found, especially on transit?
41:21We are doing Penn Station.
41:23Penn Station, any details?
41:25No, I'm supposed to show them the plans.
41:27That'll be my next trip down.
41:28Can you talk about involuntary?
41:30I'm excited about that.
41:31We have $1.2 billion committed.
41:33I said about $6 billion from the federal government would be enormously helpful.
41:38A little wince there, but I won't take that as a no.
41:44I talked about the 2nd Avenue subway.
41:47I kind of circled back to the projects I want to fund with congestion pricing,
41:51like the 2nd Avenue subway, and I got on to another number of projects.
41:55I think that's going to be an area of common interest.
41:58Again, this is where having the president be a New Yorker,
42:02someone who understands how critical the infrastructure is to just functions of our city, was good.
42:09On Penn Station, we were talking about Penn Station in Puerto Rico that far back.
42:14How far has that moved?
42:15Oh, it's moving.
42:16How has that moved?
42:17It's moving. It's moving.
42:18In the federal commitment towards funding?
42:20Well, the challenge has been that Amtrak had a different vision.
42:26I want to redo the station.
42:28I want it to be magnificent.
42:29And if you go to the station, there are major parts that have been redone already.
42:33They really have. It's beautiful.
42:35But there's parts that still are behind, and I want to bring in the natural light.
42:39We have a great plan.
42:41I get updates literally every week on our progress because I'm impatient,
42:46but we had to get everybody really heading down the same tracks here, and that was hard
42:53because Amtrak was rather insistent that it be this larger 780 block,
42:59and I said I'm not going to destroy this neighborhood.
43:01We can do the station itself,
43:03make it something that we're proud of without having to destroy a neighborhood in the process
43:08because I don't think the demand is there for office that was once there,
43:11and I'm not going to destroy a neighborhood in the process.
43:13So I had to shift a narrative and a focus that was heading down one way,
43:17pull them back, and say this is how we're going to do it.
43:20So I'm excited about this.
43:21Can you talk about involuntary?
43:22This is keeping the conversation going at Penn Station in particular.
43:26Is that a fair way to frame that?
43:28What is what?
43:29Is it fair to say that the talks over Penn Station are keeping your broader conversations about transit
43:33with the president ongoing?
43:35Is that a fair way to characterize that?
43:37Yes.
43:38I think there's a lot of common interest there.
43:40Let's get it done.
43:41Jason, let's talk about just involuntary commitment.
43:44The state senate wants to they didn't quite agree in their one house on the standard used to commit someone.
43:51How committed are you to putting your proposal in the budget and also the elections bill?
43:58Do you have any sense on if that's going to be revived any time soon?
44:02I don't know that answer, but on the first one, it's already in my budget.
44:05My definition of how we need to be aligned with 43 other states,
44:0943 other states have the definition or something comparable to what we're talking about,
44:14that it's not just individuals we can determine are in imminent harm themselves
44:19or imminent likelihood of doing harm to another.
44:21That's the standard we have now.
44:23Most other states look at the broader impacts of someone who's literally lying on the street,
44:28not able to take their medication, not able to feed themselves, not able to clothe themselves,
44:34and I as a human being cannot leave them there.
44:37I cannot do that.
44:39To think that that's been a policy, I will always stand up for people's individual rights.
44:45I'm a civil libertarian.
44:47That's great.
44:48If you have someone who lacks the mental capacity to make decisions around their own well-being,
44:53then all I'm saying is let's get them in, evaluated by two professionals, that's the requirement,
44:59and see whether they stay for 72 hours and become stabilized,
45:03and if the determination is made for maybe 15 days, let's get them help.
45:07We have capacity.
45:09Now, what I'll also say is that when I first became governor,
45:14there had not been sufficient investments in mental health.
45:17We now have put $2 billion into building the housing and the SOS programs
45:22and making sure that when someone's discharged from a hospital
45:25that there absolutely is a path of treatment going forward.
45:28We put that in the law last year.
45:30That's the case now, but I now have 85% capacity for mental health beds.
45:38We had a severe shortage when I became governor.
45:40You know, I went after a lot of hospitals and said you have to open these up.
45:43We had to find some of them, and now I've got capacity now to take in the people.
45:46We're talking about a fairly small number.
45:48I'm not talking about thousands of people that are going to need this care.
45:52We have the capacity to take care of them now, which was so important.
45:55So we're at a place now, this now makes sense,
45:58because I had to do the groundwork to get us here over the last three years.
46:01So I feel this is an important priority.
46:04What was your first argument?
46:07Are you going to fund the HALT Act in the budget so that it can be implemented
46:10so it can be safer in prisons?
46:12We are redoing our prison system.
46:14I'm excited about this.
46:15We're making a lot of changes.
46:17The corrections officers, as we spoke to them, raised some issues.
46:21For example, drugs were getting in in letters from legal entities,
46:29so now we're going to bring on a separate contractor to literally look at this,
46:33not read the mail, but if there's something that's illegal, send it back.
46:36So we've actually made some reforms.
46:38The HALT Act, what people don't realize about the HALT Act,
46:41one half of the HALT Act is about saying that you're required to have
46:45four hours a day of programming time, whether it's learning a trade,
46:49whether it's educational.
46:51That's the other half of the HALT Act that people aren't realizing.
46:54That has unfortunately been suspended because I'm now down not just the
46:58original 2,000 corrections officers, but we have an additional 2,000.
47:03So I'm going to keep the National Guard there for a little while,
47:05but I want to rethink our system.
47:08We have gotten credit for a lot of our innovative programs within our prisons.
47:12It's important to me that people have an opportunity while they are there
47:16to emerge from this incarceration with more skills or as an individual
47:22who's less likely to commit crimes again.
47:25It's all about stopping recidivism, so I'm committed to making those reforms.