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 land they already own. 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.

My proposal would allow us to develop community-driven projects that fit local needs, driving down rents and reducing homelessness. Far from a one-size-fits-all solution, this approach allows religious organizations to build housing that aligns with the needs of their communities.

The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act is designed to benefit New Yorkers, not special interests. It only applies to land religious organizations already own, meaning churches won’t compete in the real estate market. It ensures new buildings adhere to local height requirements—no skyscrapers on church property. It generates property taxes to ensure public services for new residents are viable. It protects landmarked places of worship from being torn down. And the housing would be open to everyone, not just members of specific faith communities.