Skip to content
Council Discourse

NYC Council meetings, chaptered and linked by time.

Created by Uzair Qadir

Inspired by Vikram Oberoi's City Meetings

Q&A

Council Member Epstein on balancing affordable housing development on Mitchell-Lama land

New York City Council · Jul 15, 2026 · starts 2:01:36 · 1 min 20 sec

Epstein asks how HPD balances the need for more affordable housing with preserving Mitchell-Lama land value. Phillips says it will be case-by-case, looking at available land and capital needs in collaboration with the council and co-op boards.

Harvey D. Epstein

And I wanted the last question.

Harvey D. Epstein

I know Councilmember Banks flagged the issue of potential development projects on...

Harvey D. Epstein

Our Mitchell Lama land.

Harvey D. Epstein

I'm wondering how you balance the issues of needing more affordable housing versus the potential value of that land.

Harvey D. Epstein

So how do you make that determination about the need for the affordability, because we need more affordable housing, and the need for making sure the Mitchell Lama stay whole?

Harvey D. Epstein

What is that decision process internally?

Adam Phillips

Yeah, I mean, I think it's going to have to be a case-by-case basis.

Adam Phillips

We have to look at the available land in each Mitchell Lama.

Adam Phillips

Not every Mitchell Lama is going to have a ton of development space available.

Adam Phillips

So I think looking at the capital needs, the available land that we could develop on, I think everyone might have to be its own unique snowflake.

Adam Phillips

But in collaboration with the city council and if it's co-op with the board, I think we can get to a really good place to ensure that there's additional funds going to mitigate increases and pay for capital improvements outside of the city budget.

Harvey D. Epstein

Well, thank you, and I appreciate the chair's indulgence.

Harvey D. Epstein

I'm looking forward to this exciting roundtable.

Pierina Ana Sanchez

All right.

Pierina Ana Sanchez

Are you bringing snacks?

Harvey D. Epstein

Always snacks.

Harvey D. Epstein

They're going to be vegan.

Harvey D. Epstein

You okay with that, right?

Pierina Ana Sanchez

As long as it's free.

Pierina Ana Sanchez

Thank you for hanging in there with us.