A rift is growing between Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and the city's Common Council.
Near the close of her State of the City address January 30th, Sheehan criticized the Council's development policies, taking aim at inclusionary zoning rules that mandate new market-rate apartment complexes set more units aside for low-income tenants. "We went from 5%, which was working, to a formula that is not working," said Sheehan.
The council's Affordable Housing Ordinance has developers set aside 7% of units as affordable housing, with staggered increases up to 13% in buildings as the number of units increases.
According to the third-term Democrat, the number of subsidized inclusionary units citywide is down 62%. And the number of market rate units that are in the pipeline is down 71%.
Councilors met Wednesday, and some said the mayor is blaming them for the collapse of the Central Warehouse renovation.
"I guess we're responsible for the fall of western civilization, at this rate," said Kelly Kimbrough of the 4th ward, the council's president pro tem. "Saying that we stifled growth and we're the holdup. And we caused the Central Warehouse not to be developed. I mean, there were all kinds of issues with that prior to that to our change in inclusionary housing."
9th ward representative Meghan Keegan was also taken aback by Sheehan's comments. "I think it's incredibly disingenuous to claim that our actions have stymied development in the city when in fact, if you look at both the proposals that have come before planning, as well as the proposals that are in front of the IDA, there are a number of projects, housing projects, coming through the city right now. So the data just does not support her comments," Keegan said.
Council Majority Leader Ginnie Farrell of the 13th ward found Sheehan's comments "disrespectful." "It's not meant to be a dog and pony show for the mayor. It's meant to be for the mayor to communicate with the Common Council," said Farrell.
Farrell says the State of the City went off-track and Sheehan used it to "embarass fellow public servants." "We deserve better," Farrell said. "And historically, the State of the City was always given in council chambers, because the purpose of the state of the city is for the mayor to inform the common council about what's going on. And so I think, from my perspective, it really I was sitting there, I was like, you know, what, if you're going to insult me, do it in the chambers. So I think that we need to bring it back to the chambers."
7th ward councilor Sergio Adams complained of mixed signals from city hall when it comes to housing.
"There's a local developer person here looking to create SROs, a single residency occupancy, building," said Adams. "About 23 apartments for 23 individuals. And it's been prevented and stopped from the administration, purposely, because they're saying they do not support SROs. I was very upset and confused by this, because I thought we've been having conversations about a need for housing, affordable housing, but also housing that addresses the needs for people on a fixed income, for individuals who are making minimum wage, for individuals who are just looking for a smaller place. And the fact that the argument is that the SROs are not the style or type of housing that is conducive to a particular neighborhood, I found that very hypocritical, when we're still discussing equity in our neighborhoods, mixed income neighborhoods, and having different styles of housing, in our city in our community."
Common Council President Corey Ellis says the address and its fallout strengthen his call for a quality of life-oriented Affordable Housing Task Force.
"Well the council leadership, they just need to say we're going to do it and and put it in. If Kelly [Kimbrough] wants to put it in a housing committee, let the housing committee start that process, or you can do it as a council, as a whole. I don't know. He's the leader. I can't make those decisions."
Ellis says once a task force is convened, it can consider the issue.
Reached for comment, Mayor Sheehan's Chief of Staff, David Galin, says in a statement: “The Common Council recently passed Resolution 117.112.23R, 'requir[ing] the City provide the Council with quarterly updates about the number of market-rate, affordable, and mixed-use housing projects,’ which is exactly what Mayor Sheehan provided at the State of the City.
“Our constituents need for us to be transparent and accountable. The numbers show that the Common Council’s changes to our inclusionary zoning ordinance must be revisited. I hope Council leadership can move past their feelings and focus on the facts so that we can address the negative impacts of their legislation on our city."
