NYC voters to have say on housing ballot proposals following Governor Hochul’s intervention.

On Tuesday, the New York City Board of Elections (BOE) voted to approve the inclusion of significant housing measures on the upcoming November ballot. This decision comes in the wake of intervention by Governor Kathy Hochul, who has the authority to remove BOE commissioners. The proposals aim to expedite the development of new housing initiatives within the city.

These ballot measures were championed by Mayor Eric Adams’ Charter Revision Commission, igniting a contentious dialogue between the City Council and the mayor. Should the proposals be approved by voters, they would potentially diminish the Council’s influence over the approval process for new housing developments, raising concerns among Council leaders who assert that the wording of the proposals is misleading.

In a strategic move, the Council urged the BOE to halt the introduction of these proposals, arguing that they could misleadingly influence voters. Key reforms included in the mayor’s measures would permit certain developers to bypass the traditional Council review process, streamlining the city’s land-use decision-making.

Prior to the BOE meeting, sources indicate that staff members from Governor Hochul’s office contacted BOE commissioners, advocating for the approval of the mayor’s ballot questions. This outreach appears to have influenced pivotal votes within the board, specifically that of Frank Seddio, the Democratic commissioner from Brooklyn who had previously expressed reservations about the proposals. Following discussions with the governor’s aide, Seddio voted in favor of the ballot initiatives, which ultimately secured a majority approval with a vote of 7 to 1, leaving two commissioners absent.

Governor Hochul expressed satisfaction with the board’s decision, emphasizing the importance of allowing New Yorkers to voice their opinions on vital housing initiatives through the ballot. Nonetheless, Seddio later denied having conversed with the governor’s staff before the vote, downplaying the influence of external pressure.

In response to the Board of Elections’ decision, Julia Agos, a spokesperson for the Council Democrats, lashed out against what she described as an undemocratic attempt to mislead voters. Mayor Adams countered this sentiment by framing the Council’s actions as an illegitimate effort to undermine democracy, expressing relief that the BOE followed legal protocols to permit a vote on the proposals amid the city’s ongoing housing crisis.

Supporters of the initiatives, including the political action committee YES on Affordable Housing, heralded the decision as a victory for democratic engagement and a crucial step toward addressing New York City’s pressing housing needs. As voters prepare to weigh in on these transformative proposals this November, the outcome could shape the future landscape of housing development in the city.

With the tensions between the Council and the executive branch highlighted in this episode, upcoming discussions surrounding housing policy in New York are expected to remain robust and contentious. The implications of these ballot measures extend far beyond the immediate election outcomes and are poised to influence the direction of urban development and governance in New York City for years to come.