As Country grapples with affordability crisis, legislation would create 60,000 new homes across the state, with no cost to localities or taxpayers

Hundreds rally in first-ever housing advocacy day, kicking off concerted effort for Albany leaders to hear directly from thousands of supportive congregants across the state.

New York, NY – Today, the New York Faith Housing launched its 2025 faith housing advocacy efforts, centering on the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act. The bill is intended to provide new avenues for faith institutions to serve their communities, unlocking over 60,000 new homes on extra land owned by faith-based organizations. As trusted community leaders across the state, faith leaders feel called to help solve New York’s dire housing crisis and believe faith-based housing can be a critical solution for their communities.

The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act was first introduced in the 2024 legislative session, and would empower houses of worship to help solve the affordability crisis in their communities. By streamlining the often costly and lengthy approvals process, it will make it faster and easier for faith leaders to build affordable homes on excess and underutilized land. In conjunction with an analysis by NYU’s Furman Center, the bill is projected to create 60,000 new homes across New York over the coming decade which could house as many as 180,000 New Yorkers. Supported by a broad constellation of thousands of faith institutions, alongside over 300 faith leaders, housing advocates, and community groups, this bill has already secured 58 co-sponsors in the Senate and Assembly. Key supporters include Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanaugh and Assembly Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, underscoring the widespread bipartisan backing for this critical legislation.

The new campaign includes additional organizers on the ground garnering support and action from local congregations, paid communications featuring faith leaders in their own words highlighting the importance of passing the legislation, and a major postcard/petition drive so Albany leaders hear directly from their constituents.

New York Faith Housing has also worked with the Furman Center at NYU to understand the potential for faith-based housing in every region of New York. This data will be invaluable for legislators seeking to understand the benefits of the bill in their home communities. 

New York Faith Housing has continued to gain supporters and momentum since last session, and is thrilled to be relaunching its efforts to pass the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act in 2025.

“We know how dire the housing crisis is in Upstate New York, but local political fighting has stopped my church from helping our community,” said Rev. Dustin Longmire of Messiah Lutheran Church in Rotterdam, NY. “I’ve seen members of our congregation become homeless because there was nothing they could afford. We need faith housing here in Rotterdam, and we’re calling on the State Legislature to help let us build it.”

“Across New York, faith organizations are already the cornerstone of community care—providing education, healthcare, food, and shelter. The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act will enable faith leaders to further serve their communities by creating desperately needed affordable housing,” said Dr. Xellex Rivera, Chief Program Officer at Housing Solutions of New York. “As trusted neighborhood partners, faith leaders are uniquely positioned to address New York’s escalating housing and homelessness crisis—one that has reached record levels and continues to grow.”

“Faith-based housing initiatives can help every community across New York. I have witnessed firsthand the burdens that have been faced by members of my congregation and community as they struggle with raising housing cost,” said Rev. Dr. Tristan J. Salley, President of the AME Ministerial Alliance of NY and Vicinity and Senior Pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Lakeview, Long Island.  “Our faith calls us to support and empower those who are in need and the faith based affordable housing act will help to eliminate bureaucratic barriers so that faith leaders can continue to help strengthen our communities.”

“The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act is a common-sense solution. Houses of worship are ready and willing to address the needs of their communities by building affordable housing,” said Rashida Tyler, Deputy Executive Director of the NYS Council of Churches. “Unfortunately, many face NIMBY-ism and misapplied zoning regulations that prevent this much-needed housing from being constructed. Faith communities already feed, clothe, and shelter the poor and vulnerable, but for some reason, this mission becomes contentious when we seek to provide permanent solutions that will stabilize our communities. Legislators and the Governor have the opportunity to create a win-win solution here- let’s make it happen.”

“New Yorkers are praying for solutions to the affordable housing crisis, and it’s time for lawmakers to heed that prayer,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “Across the state, families are struggling to make ends meet, and when they can’t afford to pay skyrocketing housing costs, they leave. My Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act allows trusted houses of worship to more easily build affordable housing on land they already own, creating new homes for tens of thousands of New Yorkers. This is about tackling our affordability crisis and creating strong, stable communities where families can grow and thrive.”

“We are failing when anyone is left without a place to lay their head. As legislators, we must use every legal tool at our disposal to ensure no one is denied a home,” said Assemblymember Brian Cunningham. “We have to pass The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act to bring us closer to ending the housing crisis—one that has persisted for far too long.”

State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Chair of the Senate Housing Committee, said:

“As we grapple with the compounding crises of homelessness, evictions, housing insecurity, and crushing rent burdens, it is reassuring that faith-based communities all across New York stand ready to help. The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act is a crucial step towards addressing these pressing issues. By accelerating construction timelines and reducing bureaucratic hurdles, this bill would empower religious institutions to play a significant role in providing affordable housing for our communities. I commend Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Brian Cunningham for introducing this bill. I look forward to working with my colleagues in government and the many supporters of this effort to get it enacted. With the enormous housing shortages we are facing, inaction is not an option.”

“I have seen how our housing shortage is hurting New Yorkers on Manhattan’s West Side and across the state. Faith-based housing is an essential solution that will create more affordable homes and empower synagogues, churches and mosques to further serve their communities,” said Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, Chair of the Committee on Housing. “As tenants face rising rents and homeowners struggle with rising mortgage costs, faith housing is a common-sense approach that allows our most trusted community leaders to give back in a new way. I urge my colleagues to support this vital effort, and put our faith in housing.”

“No solution to the housing crisis can be left off the table when thousands of New Yorkers are homeless,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. “Faith-based organizations are trying to do their part to house our communities but are faced with unnecessary roadblocks along the way. Governor Hochul and the State Legislature must pass the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act now to make it easier for our houses of worship to create desperately needed homes and pass the Housing Access Voucher Program to ensure tenants facing homelessness can access stable, permanent housing.”

“As we face an unprecedented housing crisis, we must remove unnecessary barriers that prevent faith-based organizations from helping address the needs of New Yorkers. The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act is a critical step toward empowering our institutions to create desperately needed affordable housing. I stand with our faith leaders and community advocates in calling for bold action to ensure every New Yorker has a place to call home” said State Senator Zellnor Myrie.

“One in five New Yorkers spends more than half their income on housing,” said State Senator Pete Harckham. “Our communities of faith and worship want to be part of the solution. The Faith-Based Housing Act will allow new housing to be built on land owned by religious organizations, which will help put us on the path to a more affordable and fair New York.”

“Faith-based housing offers a critical and proven solution to addressing New York City’s housing crisis,” said State Senator Julia Salazar. “In Brooklyn, we have one of the most severe housing shortages in New York, driving up costs for my constituents. If churches, synagogues, and other faith organizations could use their vacant land to build housing, that would be transformative for North Brooklyn, unlocking affordable housing while allowing them to reinvest in their houses of worship.”

“Housing challenges in New York continue to grow and it’s important that we engage all stakeholders in addressing this fundamental need. As faith-based organizations across New York State continue to step up to serve their communities, we must support their efforts to create much-needed affordable housing on their land,” said State Senator Lea Webb. “I urge Governor Hochul to pass this critical legislation that will empower these organizations to help address our housing crisis and provide safe, affordable and stable homes for families in need. I want to thank bill sponsors Senator Gounardes and Assemblymember Cunningham, and all of our legislative colleagues and advocates for their leadership. By working together, we can build stronger, more resilient communities.”

“New York’s housing crisis is a moral reckoning—a call for justice, not just gestures. The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act affirms what our communities have always known: houses of worship are more than sanctuaries; they are pillars of resilience and hope,” said State Senator Robert Jackson. “By unlocking their potential for affordable housing, we break the chains of bureaucracy, honor sacred ground, and fight for a future where affordability is a right, not a privilege. This is more than policy—it’s a testament to our shared humanity, a declaration that every New Yorker deserves a place to call home.”

“To truly solve the housing crisis in New York we must be a State of Yes,” said Assemblymember Tony Simone. “That means that every year we must pass legislative tools that help us build enough housing to meet demand. Faith Based Organizations are trusted pillars in communities across the state so partnering with them to bring housing to communities that desperately need it just makes sense.”

“Faith institutions across New York are uniquely positioned to help solve our state’s housing crisis, with the potential to create 60,000 new affordable homes on underutilized land,” said Rachel Fee, Executive Director of the New York Housing Conference. “The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act would empower religious organizations to fulfill their mission of serving their communities by streamlining the development process and breaking down unnecessary barriers to building much-needed housing.”

“To end our housing shortage, every community must do its part to build more homes. The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act is a common sense bill to do just that,” said Annemarie Gray, Executive Director of Open New York. “By empowering faith leaders to build housing on their underused land, this bill will create thousands of affordable homes every year and fund the preservation of historic houses of worship—at no cost to taxpayers. Faith-based housing has been proven as practical and viable in New York and around the country. 2025 must be a year of housing action, and this diverse group is here to ensure that means creating faith housing across New York.”

“The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act offers a practical solution to two urgent challenges: preserving historic houses of worship and addressing New York’s housing shortage,” said Sara C. Bronin, professor at Cornell University and former Chair of the U.S. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. “This bill would help congregations repurpose their underutilized buildings and land for housing, which in turn would help fund the preservation of their historic religious buildings. By streamlining outdated zoning restrictions, the bill advances historic preservation of places central to our communities, our faiths, and our stories.”  

“The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act will help New York’s religious institutions to convert their underutilized land or property into affordable housing for over 180,000 New Yorkers,” said Bea de la Torre, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Trinity Church. “When houses of worship can develop their dormant land into housing that meets urgent community needs, we’re doing more than just building homes; we are realizing the message of compassion and action that forms the core of all faiths.”

“The Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act is a crucial step towards addressing New York’s severe housing crisis,” said Tom Wright, President and CEO of Regional Plan Association (RPA). “By empowering religious institutions to develop affordable housing on their land, we can unlock new opportunities to increase the housing supply across the state. This legislation not only helps meet the urgent demand for more homes but also supports faith-based organizations in their mission to serve their communities. It’s a win-win solution that fosters economic stability and social equity for all New Yorkers.”

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About New York Faith Housing:

Launched in 2024, New York Faith Housing is a statewide movement of thousands of faith leaders and housing advocates tackling New York’s urgent housing and homelessness crisis. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) provide vital community support, yet many face restrictive zoning that prevents them from creating affordable housing on their own land. We champion the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act, urging Governor Hochul and the Legislature to remove these barriers. Learn more at nyfaithhousing.org