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In a most unexpected development, New York State politicans are pushing to restart the Mitchell-Lama housing program for the middle class in New York, The Wall Street Journal reported. The effort, which is being spearheaded by a Bronx-based State Senator, would be state wide. At this early stage of the game, it’s anyone’s guess whether any of the housing would be built in Brooklyn, but it seems likely, given the skyrocketing cost of housing here.

The units could be rentals or co-ops. In the case of rentals in New York City, the income requirement for a family of four would be $75,000 to $100,000 a year. Rents would be set at $1,900 to $2,500 a month.

That range sounds pretty expensive for a family earning $75,000 to $100,000, but it’s certainly more affordable than current market rate rents in prime areas of Brooklyn. Perhaps also the apartments would be roomier — and more suitable for a family with children — than comparably priced units on the open market, if past Mitchell-Lama units are any indication.

The 1950s-era program created more than 100,000 homes statewide. The new program would cost $750 million to build several thousand units in New York City and four upstate cities over a span of five years. The state, for its part, would kick in $150 million each year “to finance more affordable mortgages for developers and create a new tax credit for the developments,” said the story.

Are you in favor of Mitchell-Lama housing in Brooklyn? Above, Brooklyn’s Starrett City, now called Spring Creek, a Mitchell-Lama project in Jamaica Bay.

Push Begins to Jumpstart Mitchell-Lama in New York State [WSJ]
Photo by GK tramrunner229 for Wikipedia Commons


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. As long as they find a way not to make these look like projects, I’m all for it, although I do find either those rents a bit high, or the thresholds a bit low…one or the other. I always find that strange about the current affordable housing apartments…$300k-$400k apartments, but you can’t make more than $100k/year. Where are those people supposed to get that kind of money?

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