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New York City Council
Giving qualified entities a first opportunity to submit a statement of interest and a first opportunity to purchase certain properties
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council staff sort name placards and confirm seating for members, including references to 'Zwayne'/'Wayne' and Hassan, before the hearing begins. No substantive committee business occurs in this pre-meeting setup.
Staff welcome attendees to the New York City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings vote, ask that electronic devices be silenced, and bar the public from approaching the front dais. The chair then thanks the sergeants before proceeding.
Councilmember Pierina Sanchez identifies herself as chair and announces the committee will vote on Proposed Intro 905-A, the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act. She notes the bill is sponsored by Councilmember Sandy Nurse and concerns qualified entities' first opportunity to submit a statement of interest and purchase certain properties.
Sanchez says New York City faces a profound housing crisis beyond the need to build more, pointing to failing infrastructure, dangerous conditions, and buildings trapped in speculation, disinvestment, and neglect. She argues the city cannot build its way out while existing affordable housing falls apart.
Sanchez describes COPA as a tool to interrupt speculative cycles by giving mission-driven organizations a chance when buildings change hands. She explains that covered 4-to-100-unit buildings with HPD affordability agreements or physical distress would require owners to notify qualified entities, allow offers, and let a qualified entity match later private offers.
Sanchez says COPA is inspired by a San Francisco program that helped prevent displacement of thousands of tenants. She argues nonprofits need time to assemble financing and can better maintain lower rents, especially as affordability agreements expire and vacancy rates for low-rent apartments are extremely low.
Sanchez recognizes Councilmember Sandy Nurse for pouring labor, political capital, and patience into the legislation. She also credits the COPA Coalition, led by the New Economy Project and including tenant leaders, before inviting Nurse to discuss her bill.
Nurse thanks Chair Sanchez and says the vote ends a six-year saga involving three mayors, four introductions, three hearings, a passage and veto, and intense real estate lobbying. She says the committee is voting on the most strategic and operationally sound version, crediting the COPA Coalition and colleagues' input.
Nurse says COPA lets trusted housing providers buy certain buildings, work with tenants, fix units, and keep the same tenants at permanently affordable rates. She argues building alone cannot solve the crisis, cites New Yorkers planning to leave over cost, and says COPA gives community-oriented buyers public oversight.
Nurse promises a longer list of thanks later but singles out the New York City Community Land Initiative for disciplined, collaborative work that persisted through roadblocks and a veto. She thanks Progressive Caucus allies and members who opposed the bill for hearing her out, then asks for an aye vote.
Sanchez thanks Nurse and her own team, including Deputy Chiefs of Staff Ben Ratner and Kim Castellanos, District Director Maria Jose Mares, and other staff. She also thanks Housing and Buildings Committee staff and lists members present before asking the clerk to call the roll.
Committee Clerk William Martin opens the roll call on Proposed Intro 905-A. Chair Sanchez, Councilmembers Riley, Feliz, Abreu, and Hudson vote aye, with several congratulating Councilmember Nurse.
Councilmember Rita C. Joseph asks to explain her vote and recalls telling District 40 tenants in January that the COPA fight was not over. She describes no-heat, mold, and repair complaints in Flatbush, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Ditmas Park, and Crown Heights, arguing COPA breaks the cycle of distressed buildings being sold to developers.
The clerk continues the roll call. Councilmembers Williams, Salaam, Maloney, and Wilson vote aye, while Councilmember Zhuang abstains after thanking Chair Sanchez.
The clerk announces 10 affirmative votes, 0 negative, and 1 abstention. The committee approves Proposed Intro 905-A.
Sanchez thanks the clerk and gives a special shout-out to Billy Eck for work on the legislation. She confirms the committee is full and adjourns the meeting.