We are a third of the way through the decade and New York City is already well behind the lackluster housing production of the preceding two decades. That's why we can no longer afford to let a select few Manhattan members of the Legislature from affluent areas use "progressivism" as a Trojan Horse to slip poison pills into housing policies - as we saw them attempt during the budget process.

Real champions of hardworking New Yorkers would be committed to constructive solutions to get housing built. They would work like hell to provide relief for the full half of New York City households who cannot afford to live here anymore, according to a recent study by the Fund for the City of New York and United Way of New York City. You would think they would look at the fact that at least 30% of those people's incomes go to rent and feel compelled to get to "yes" on lifting the floor-to-area ratio (FAR) cap or expanding office-to-residential conversions. But instead, a select few have fear-mongered and blocked any prospect or opportunity for Black, Latino, and Asian people to move into their neighborhoods.

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