New York real estate is booming, but who is benefiting?

Real estate in New York City is the equivalent of oil in Texas.  Everyone needs it; it is the hottest commodity in town; and the industry that provides it is the most powerful around. But 25% of New York City households spend more than half of their income on rent, and too many New Yorkers can’t find decent housing at all. That’s why our homeless population is at an all-time high.

Housing Here and Now is breaking the cycle of politics and power that puts decent housing out of reach for millions of New Yorkers. This new and feisty coalition of affordable housing groups, labor unions, AIDS activists, churches and community groups have joined together to seize the opportunity presented by a Mayoral election year to demand that our city leaders guarantee housing for ALL New Yorkers.

Here’s what our elected officials can do TODAY to BUILD IT, FIX IT, SAVE IT:

Keep the Promise — use Battery Park City money for affordable housing.

Guarantee housing for low- and moderate-income people in neighborhoods being rezoned.

Let New  York City determine its own rent laws and make the laws fair.

Provide  permanent housing for homeless people living with  HIV and AIDS.

End tax breaks to luxury developers; reform the 421A program to create more affordable housing