Council Member Eric Dinowitz Proposes Bill to Expand Family-Sized Affordable Housing

Council Member Eric Dinowitz appeared at an Oct. 19 City Council meeting to introduce a bill that he says would help prevent families from leaving New York City. 

Last year, the Fiscal Policy Institute found households with young children are twice as likely to leave New York City as those without children. Statewide, the report also found 36 percent of households — mostly focused in the city — are leaving in search of affordable housing.

The bill, called Int. 1433, requires city-funded housing projects to include more 2- and 3-bedroom rental apartments based on family need. If a developer wants city funding — such as loans, grants or tax exemptions — they must make sure the number of units is met. 

In the last year, 7,770 one-bedroom units, 7710 two-bedrooms and 2,791 three-bedrooms were built citywide, according to the NYC Housing Preservation and Development’s, HPD, Affordable Housing Production by Building dataset on NYC Open Data. 

“We as a city — as a government — have to incentivize the behaviors we want to see in private companies,” Dinowitz told The Press. 

Family needs are determined by population. According to a five-year estimate from the American Community Survey, about 40 percent of rented and owned units have three or four members. The bill matches the percentage and sets a requirement — at least 40 percent of new or renovated housing projects must have at least two bedrooms.

Larger units also must be spread citywide, with no more than 35 percent of 2- and 3-bedroom apartments concentrated in one borough. 

Dinowitz said current HPD rules encourage developers to build mostly studios and one-bedroom apartments.

This is based on the agency’s construction finance term sheet, which recommends at least 30 percent of units be two-bedroom or larger. Dinowitz argued in a March budget hearing developers only satisfy the minimum and make the rest one-bedrooms or studios. 

The council member pointed to 160 Van Cortlandt Park South, a fully affordable building that has 70 percent smaller apartments. He added it is an ill-suited ratio for a site that is nearby a school, park and playground. 

HPD Press Secretary Matt Rauschenbach told The Press term sheets allow flexibility to meet differing needs across boroughs. Maintaining that flexibility, he said, is critical to building affordable housing New Yorkers need. 

“That fundamental reality will be top of mind as we carefully review the council member’s proposed legislation,” Rauschenbach said in an email statement. 

According to the agency, data from the housing lottery also informs what is built. Seventy-eight percent of applications come from one- or two-person households, who generally qualify for one-bedrooms.

In September, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration said it created or preserved more than 33,000 units of affordable housing citywide in Fiscal Year 2025. Dinowitz said this is misleading, since a majority could refer to single units. 

“[Families] look for an area that may have parking or good schools or is near a playground,” Dinowitz said. “There’s a lot more to housing than the word unit.” 

Charles Moerdler, chair of Bronx Community Board 8’s Land Use Committee, said when a city produces mostly single-room units, it has negative consequences. 

“You change the character of the neighborhood,” Moerdler said. “It becomes transient — more bars, less supermarkets, less houses of worship … You need the small apartments, no question, but you’ve got to start making emphasis on keeping families here.” 

Int. 1433 was referred to the City Council’s Committee on Land Use. If approved, it will move to the full board for a vote before it is sent to the mayor. 

The bill currently has seven other sponsors, including Bronx leaders Amanda Farías, Oswald Feliz, Althea Stevens and Diana Ayala. Bronx council members who did not sign on were not able to be reached by press time.