Mayor Adams celebrates unprecedented success in affordable housing

Mayor Eric Adams proclaimed back-to-back record-breaking years for creating and connecting New Yorkers to affordable housing.

The administration, led by Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, has achieved unprecedented milestones, producing nearly 29,000 affordable and public housing units in Fiscal Year 2024 alone.

“Good morning, everyone. My name is Maria Torres-Springer. I’m the deputy mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce,” opened Torres-Springer. “Today, we are not just breaking records but also uplifting the lives of New Yorkers and tackling our housing crisis head-on.”

Mayor Adams highlighted the personal and professional dedication that has driven this success. “You are not able to reach a purpose in life unless you have a purpose in life. The city has betrayed many New Yorkers for many years, and I not only know it professionally, I know it personally,” said Adams. He emphasized the importance of his team, including Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer and HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr., in achieving these goals.

The results are staggering: records in permanently supportive housing, housing for formerly homeless New Yorkers, tax-incentive supportive affordable housing, and more. The administration also emphasized the importance of community involvement and the need to address housing inequities across all neighborhoods.

“When you have a 1.4 percent vacancy rate and even lower in affordable housing, it brings a crisis that we have to address and focus on. We can’t be philosophical about it. We have to build more housing,” Adams stated.

The Mayor’s announcement was also marked by personal stories, including that of Allen Pastures, who received his apartment keys during the event. “I was out there… looking and going to agencies and they were turning me down,” Pastures shared, highlighting the real human impact of the administration’s efforts.

Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer reiterated the administration’s commitment to a moonshot goal of producing 500,000 new homes over the next decade. “We have gone about the steady drumbeat, not just of talking about that moonshot, but of action,” she affirmed.

The administration’s achievements have not come without challenges, including community resistance and the need for systemic change. “Every neighborhood should take up on this portion of housing in their community,” Adams urged, calling for citywide cooperation.

The event concluded with acknowledgments from key partners, including City Councilmembers and state legislators, who have been instrumental in pushing forward the city’s housing agenda.

Today’s announcement is a testament to the administration’s relentless drive to make New York City more livable and affordable for all its residents. As Mayor Adams declared, “Together, we build a city that is more affordable and more accessible for all.”