Mayor Adams supports the plan to turn vacant hotels into affordable housing

Mayor Eric Adams is urging Albany to pass legislation that will allow the city to convert underused hotels into affordable housing. He and several elected officials held a press conference on Sunday to address the city’s housing crisis and announce their support of the state bill S.4937/A.6262.

The funds to support this initiative are already available. Last summer, New York established the "Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity act", which includes a $100 million hotel conversion fund. But so far, due to the current zoning restrictions, the program received only one application. If passed, the bill would ease dwelling laws for unoccupied hotels and reduce the time and cost associated with turning them into permanent housing.

"We are facing a homelessness crisis and an affordable housing crisis, but, with the help of our partners in Albany, we can work to tackle them both with one tool," said Mayor Adams in the press release. "By repurposing underused hotels, we can create supportive housing faster and cheaper. We can make affordable, permanent housing available to families, seniors, and any New Yorker in need, including our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Let's get this done."

The prospect of transforming hotels into affordable residential units comes after the Adams administration cleared more than 300 homeless encampments across the city. The homeless advocacy groups pushed back against encampment sweeps. According to Coalition for Homeless, “this approach is counterproductive, and makes it much harder to connect people with housing, shelters, and services.” The organization says the solution to homelessness is housing. 

Approximately 25,000 beds could become available to New Yorkers if the bill passes, 6sqft reports. The legislation received support from the New York Hotel Trades Council, a union that represents hotel workers in New York and Northern New Jersey. 

"Good hotels create good jobs. They are responsible neighbors and elevate the reputation of the tourism industry by attracting more visitors," said the union’s president Rich Maroko. "But failing hotels provide only poverty-level jobs, bring crime to local communities, and tarnish the reputation of New York City's tourism industry. Converting these hotels into much-needed housing is a smart and effective way to help the city protect the safety of our neighbors, support tourism recovery, and safeguard good jobs.”

Resources:

“Mayor Adams, Partners Urge Albany to Aid Creation of Affordable, Supportive Housing,” ( NYC, 2022)

“Plan to convert vacant hotels into affordable housing backed by Mayor Adams,” by Devin Gannon (6sqft, 2022)

“Mayor pushes state plan to convert hotels into affordable housing for city's homeless population,” by Rosemary Misdary (Gothamist, 2022)

“Adams backs hotel conversion bill in Albany that could help solve NYC’s homelessness crisis,” by Dean Moses (amNY, 2022)

“Statement from the Coalition for the Homeless and The Legal Aid Society on Encampment Sweeps,” (Coalition for the Homeless, 2022)

“Mayor Eric Adams stands by push for controversial homeless encampment sweeps,” by Gwynne Hogan (Gothamist, 2022)