Pro-housing PAC will spend at least $500k on City Council races

All that fighting for City of Yes might pay off. The pro-housing group Open New York’s political arm is throwing their weight – and a decent chunk of change – behind YIMBY candidates in half a dozen competitive City Council races, as well as another half dozen incumbents in safer seats this year. 

Open New York, a housing-focused nonprofit that advocates for more development, launched a political arm last year with a super PAC called Abundant New York. After spending roughly $250,000 in state legislative races, the PAC is doubling down with a plan to spend at least $500,000 in this year’s City Council races. The PAC will wade into some of the most competitive races this year, backing incumbent Council Member Shahana Hanif, who is facing a tough primary challenge in Brooklyn, and Open New York member Ben Wetzler in the crowded primary race to replace Council Member Keith Powers in Manhattan, among others.

The PAC’s redoubled effort reflects just how influential City Council members can be in growing the city’s housing supply – from member deference on local rezonings to last year’s vote on the City of Yes citywide rezoning for housing, the group said. “This slate marks a milestone for the pro-housing movement – it’s double the size of previous years, and a clear sign of the growing citywide coalition of New Yorkers who support building more homes,” Annemarie Gray, executive director of Open New York, said in a statement. “We received several times more applications than in past years, and our endorsements reflect both the diversity of leadership emerging in this movement and the urgency of the housing crisis.”

Endorsees include incumbents who have championed new housing – both in their districts and citywide – as well as challengers and other new candidates who demonstrated alignment with those goals their application. The PAC narrowed their focus by choosing races where they thought their spending, and Open New York members, could make a difference on the ground. 

While they didn’t provide a breakdown of their specific plans, the group said they’ll prioritize spending on the six more competitive races. All endorsed candidates are Democrats, and in all but one district, the toughest part of the election will come in the primary race this June. 

In addition to Hanif and Wetzler, candidates who have won the group’s backing in competitive primary races include Jess Coleman, one of several candidates challenging incumbent Council Member Chris Marte in Lower Manhattan; Elsie Encarnacion, who is running to replace Council Member Diana Ayala in East Harlem and the Bronx; and incumbent Council Member Pierina Sanchez, who is facing a primary challenge from former Council Member Fernando Cabrera in the Bronx. The group is also backing Shirley Aldebol, one of several Democrats running to replace Republican Kristy Marmorato in the Bronx in November.

Endorsed incumbents in less competitive races include Council Members Erik Bottcher, Shaun Abreu, Amanda Farías, Lincoln Restler, Crystal Hudson and Chi Ossé.