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ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The city of Albany is proposing changes to its inclusionary zoning provisions in an attempt to increase housing in the city. It is meant to remove barriers that have delayed housing construction.
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The mayor’s office said a 2025 audit found that housing development projects have stalled, adding to the housing crisis. An amendment will create a better balance between affordability requirements and development realities, according to the city.
The amendment includes the following three changes:
- Revise the percentage of affordable units required to be set aside in each new development from a max of 13% back down to 5% while updating the affordability threshold from 60% to 70% of the area median household income (AMI), as determined by the same affordability methods for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area as used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
- Establish an alternative compliance method where developers may contribute $50k per required affordable unit, with funds going directly to a newly established Albany Housing Trust Fund that will support emergency renter protection programs and first-time homeowner downpayment assistance.
- Require developers to submit compliance plans to the Albany Community Development Agency (ACDA), with enforcement provisions allowing the City to deny, suspend, or revoke approvals if requirements are not met. ACDA will also publish an annual report on new housing construction in the City and provide an online list of buildings that have available units subject to this inclusionary zoning policy.
Certain senior living facilities, including nursing homes, assisted living, and continuing care retirement communities, would be exempt from the affordable housing requirement…