New York has an affordable housing crisis. We can’t pray away this problem.

My Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act empowers religious institutions to build desperately-needed housing.

New York is grappling with a dire affordable housing crisis. Half of all households in New York City can’t afford to comfortably hold down an apartment, access sufficient food or get basic health care. As many as 100,000 people are sleeping in shelters each night.

Addressing this crisis will require both new housing and strong tenant protections to keep families in their homes. Here’s one place we can start:

Churches, synagogues, mosques and other faith-based organizations are trusted community pillars that already offer crucial services like child care, education, and health care. Many want to continue that noble tradition by creating affordable housing on their land, but can’t because of restrictive zoning.

My Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act can change that by enabling religious institutions to build affordable housing on their land. Here’s how it works:

• The bill enables religious organizations to develop mixed-income and affordable housing on their land across New York. Inside New York City, all housing must meet the City's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing affordability standards. Elsewhere, all new developments must have at least 20% affordable units at 80% of the Area Median Income.

• Congregations receive comprehensive training and get connected to resources to develop community-driven projects that address New York’s dire housing shortage and meet local needs.

• Houses of worship get the financial stability to continue serving our communities. Many congregations are struggling to make ends meet. By allowing them to build housing on their land, faith-based organizations can secure a stronger financial footing and ensure they can support our communities for decades to come.