Dana Rubinstein reports on some encouraging marks Bill de Blasio made while addressing a New York City real-estate developers group:
Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to build and preserve more affordable housing in ten years’ time than Michael Bloomberg did in 12, and yesterday he told a group of real estate executives that “height and density” will prove key to that mission.
“It’s going to take a willingness to use height and density to the maximum feasible extent. … I don’t have a hang-up about it,” said de Blasio today. “I think it’s necessary to do what I’m here to do.”
That’s great to hear. What will be really interesting to see will be whether de Blasio is able to leverage his ties and credibility with folks who aren’t real-estate developers to get some of this done. A populist with a left-wing persona may be the right person to build the political coalition around more development.
