Housing programs could give preference to artists under NYC council bill

New York City lawmakers have introduced a bill that would explicitly allow housing programs to give preference to working artists in an effort to support a segment facing high displacement pressure amid the city’s affordability crisis.

The bill, co-sponsored by Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher, was introduced November 12 and referred to the Council’s Committee on Civil and Human Rights the same day, according to legislative records.

The bill would amend the city’s Human Rights Law to clarify that offering an occupancy preference to individuals engaged in “artistic activities” does not constitute discrimination on the basis of occupation, so long as the preference is part of a housing program authorized or implemented by a city or state agency.

“New York City is home to one of the world’s largest communities of creative professionals,” Powers wrote in a memorandum in support of the legislation.

“Artists, including people who work in music, theatre, dance, television and movies, visual arts, and beyond, have made significant contributions to the cultural and economic vibrancy of our city.”

In his memo, Powers acknowledged that housing developments catering to artists already exist in New York City but expressed concern that existing law lacked clarity on whether certain programs could give preference to artists.

“This legislation will make it clear that housing programs authorized or implemented by the state or city agencies that give preference to artists do not violate the human rights law prohibition against discrimination on the basis of occupation,” he wrote.

The next step of the process would be for the committee to schedule a public hearing in which advocates, developers, artists and the public can give testimony for or against the proposed law while council members ask questions.

After that hearing, the committee may revise the text of the bill and put it to a vote on whether to pass it on to full council for consideration. By the time it were to pass through a vote of the full city council, it would be sent to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s desk for consideration. Mamdani, a former housing counselor, is a proponent of affordable housing and would be likely to sign it.

Powers, who grew up in the East Village, discussed his upbringing as motivation for introducing the bill in remarks to Gothamist earlier this month.

“ It was known as a bastion of artists and musicians and many lived around there to be part of that,” Powers said. “I think that has shifted a lot with the affordability problem here in Manhattan, where somebody who's trying to work close to where they make a living is having a much harder time to do it on an artist's salary.”

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