June 8, 2023 (Albany, NY) — Today, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie issued a joint statement about the failure of either legislative body to pass housing protection legislation before the end of session. In response, Rosemary Rivera, Co-Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York, had the following to say:
“New York is experiencing an unprecedented housing crisis, but instead of acting to bring much-needed relief to the millions of New Yorkers who are losing their homes or drowning in unaffordable rents, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have chosen to blame the Governor for their own inaction. The legislative session involves both bodies passing a bill, regardless of the Governor’s stance–in fact, they are meant to remain independently of the Governor’s whims as a check and balance to executive power. The failure to act on housing at this moment lies solely at their feet.”
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