Leonard Grunstein Published in Republic 3.0

Leonard Grunstein was recently published in Republic 3.0, writing a piece titled, “Affordable housing must move beyond rent control.” In the new piece, Grunstein discusses a recent court decision that stated that the rent-stabilized apartments are public assistance benefits akin to disability benefits or welfare. Grunstein notes that while this decision is considered a victory by many affordable housing advocates, it may end up doing more harm than good.

Grunstein argues that the decision signifies the steady acceptance of rent regulation rather than a stopgap. “Originally, New York’s rent stabilization law was passed as an emergency measure meant to shore up affordable housing for the short-term until a more sustainable solution could be passed,” he says.

Within the op-ed, he suggests lifting rent regulations to incentivize developers to replace existing ones that contain more housing of both market value and affordable rates.

To read the full article, visit Republic 3.0.

The answer to New York City’s affordable housing crisis is under its feet

Leonard Grunstein has recently published a new op-ed in Republic 3.0. In the op-ed, Grunstein describes a potential solution to New York City’s lack of affordable housing.

Currently, residents making between 20-40k per year are spending about 40% of their income on rent – a significant increase over the past 15 years. Partially to blame for the increase in costs is the surge in luxury towers over middle-income housing – which has some believing that New York is in the midst of a luxury housing bubble. Another significant reason, as noted by Grunstein, is a lack of land available in the private sector at prices low enough to allow the creation of affordable housing.

Details can be found by clicking the full article, here.

‘Poor door’ no more: Here’s an easy fix.

Leonard Grunstein recently contributed to Crain’s New York Business, suggesting rent vouchers as an answer to New York’s affordable housing crisis and the recent “poor door” controversy. The “poor door” concept, which suggested a separate entrance for subsidized tenants at an Upper West Side luxury building, was a widely criticized suggested policy.

According to Grunstein, suggestion of this policy should come at no surprise. Having affordable and luxury housing units on the same site would allow developers to receive tax abatements so long as 20% of a building’s units are kept below market rate.

This does not need to be the only solution; however, and Grunstein suggests the use of rent vouchers to help families struggling to afford it. Rather than requiring more affordable units, the city must address the underlying problem: rents are out of reach for many hardworking families. This can be alleviated with rent vouchers that low-income tenants would use at apartments throughout the city like any other tenant, instead of being relegated to “poor units.”

The budget for the vouchers could be funded by requiring developers to pay into a city-administered trust fund, with contributions that were comparable to the cost of constructing affordable units. This change can more effectively align housing policy with need.

Leonard Grunstein quoted in NY Daily News Voice of the People

Leonard Grunstein was recently quoted in The New York Daily News Voice of the People segment, weighing in on New York City’s current affordable housing crisis. Grunstein urges Mayor de Blasio, who will soon be implementing a new housing plan for the city, to consider another alternative plan found in an op-ed by Edward Glaeser.

The plan advocates for the use of housing vouchers, an under-used resource that provide New Yorkers with the means to afford a home where they choose. A system such as this one would prevent the need for segregated buildings and better allocate city resources.

Mr. Grunstein’s full Voice of the People segment can be found at the New York Daily News.

Leonard Grunstein: Are Smaller Apartments the Solution to New York’s Housing Crisis?

In a recent op-ed, Leonard Grunstein commented on a Furman Center study which suggested that more compact apartment units would better suit current NYC housing needs. Grunstein believes that this study should serve as an indication for city leaders to build a form of housing that is more suitable for today’s NYC residents.

A lack of space for single and two-person households have forced single residents to move into larger apartments, therefore limiting space for larger families. This trend is unsustainable, and more single-room occupancy (SRO) apartments are needed to house a new generation of NYC residents. However, outdated regulations are preventing developers from building these structures – classifying them as hotels rather than residents. Regulations regarding the number of windows, square footage and appliances must be re-evaluated to allow construction for more SRO’s, freeing larger spaces to accommodate families.

Smaller units should be considered when looking at options for solving the city’s current housing crisis.