Beware ‘simple’ solutions to housing crisis

BY MOUJAN VAHDAT

Finding solutions to New York’s housing crisis will be the de ning political challenge of this generation.

Building more homes at an affordable price, potentially using state land, sounds like a simple solution, but there are barriers standing in the way that need to be the focus for politicians at all levels of government.

Let’s start with needed improvements to the planning process, which is slow and di cult. If politicians are truly serious about solving the housing shortage, this is a good place to start.

e rst step would be to remove regulatory barriers at the local, state and federal levels to allow more homes and apartments to be built and to reduce the time and cost for builders.

States hold the legal authority to establish the parameters for zoning at the local level and, therefore, to encourage local jurisdictions to allow more housing to be built in their state.

We also need to look at new ways to ght homelessness and all available technologies to increase our housing supply. San Francisco-based New Story Charity has built more than 2,700 homes globally, a ecting 12,000 lives, in part by partnering with a company called Icon in Mexico and using 3D printing to drive down costs of new homes.

Assurances and stability

One of the most expensive aspects of housing development is the cost of capital. Municipalities have the ability to borrow money at lower rates than developers, but once again, red tape and cumbersome processes cause delays and uncertainty at a time when we need assurances and stability.

Creative thinking leads to e ective solutions. For example, Oregon lawmakers are pushing for a “transformational” bipartisan plan to speed housing construction by streamlining local rules, ending rigid land-use mandates and lengthy approval processes that stall construction and drive up costs. Is New York paying attention? Oregon’s ideas could work here. e housing crisis is a complicated issue that requires bold thinkers nding an almost in nite number of solutions and all levels of government working together with developers and other privatesector stakeholders.

In the meantime, we also have to remember that there are people on our streets who are hurting and have nowhere to turn.

People with mental illness experience homelessness for longer periods of time and have less contact with family and friends. ose with severe mental illnesses over-represent those experiencing homelessness.

My 30 years of experience with building shelters has shown me that while we struggle to house New Yorkers who are the most president & ceo K.C. Crain group publisher Jim Kirk publisher/executive editor

Frederick P. Gabriel Jr.

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New York state’s new $1 billion commitment to improve access to mental health care would be the most signi cant change since the deinstitutionalization of the 1970s and could be a major step on the road to solving the housing crisis for all. ■ chairman Keith E. Crain vice chairman Mary Kay Crain president & ceo K.C. Crain senior executive vice president Chris Crain editor-in-chief emeritus Rance Crain chief nancial of cer Robert Recchia founder G.D. Crain Jr. [1885-1973] chairman Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. [1911-1996]

Moujan Vahdat is CEO of Elmo Realty and a philanthropist.

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