Call To Action: Oppose Bill A08386/S07791 “Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act”
We need you to reach out to your representatives in the NYS Senate and Assembly and tell them you do not support the “Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act,” (A08386/S07791) unless it is amended to retain protections for landmarked properties.
As budget negotiations grind on in Albany, a bill that could have a disastrous impact on religious properties throughout the state is moving its way through committee. The innocuous-sounding “Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act” enjoys a lengthy list of co-sponsors in the Assembly and Senate, as well as the backing of a well-funded advocacy group that has opposed landmarking.
The stated purpose of this legislation is to allow religious corporations to bypass local zoning and other protections in order to expedite the construction of affordable housing on their land. Building departments would, ministerially and without discretionary review or a hearing, approve applications for building permits under the bill within 60 days of application. Full environmental reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) would not be required so long as the landowners submit various certifications addressing soil and water issues.
There are no protections included in this legislation for landmarked historic religious properties and it could, in some cases, allow the alteration and demolition of these properties. While this legislation is presented as a housing bill, we are concerned that it could weaken and remove landmark protections more broadly.