Coalition of NYC Council Members, Labor Unions, and Advocates Warn Voters about Misleading Language of Mayor Adams’ Ballot Proposals That Endanger Housing Affordability, Good Jobs, and Neighborhood Investments

On Wednesday, a coalition of Council Members, labor unions, and advocates warned New Yorkers about the misleading language and negative impacts of Mayor Adams’ Ballot Proposals 2, 3 and 4 in the upcoming election. The proposals would change who has the power to make decisions about development in New York City, shifting voting power from communities’ democratically elected representatives to unelected appointees of the mayor. However, the language describing the proposals on the ballot largely conceals this change. The coalition warned that the changes advanced by the ballot proposals would erode community power that helps secure increased affordability in housing development, good jobs, and investments in neighborhood parks, schools, public transit, core infrastructure, and other essentials.  

Council members were joined by the NYC CLC, 32BJ SEIU, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, and District Council of Carpenters to stress the importance for voters to understand the truth about Proposals 2, 3, and 4 and their impact when casting their ballots.

“Two things can be true at once. New York urgently needs more affordable housing, and we must also protect the voice of working people in shaping that future,” said CLC President Brendan Griffith. “These ballot proposals pit progress against democracy and give too much power to those least accountable to our communities. We can build faster and fairer, but only when the people who make this city run have a real say. True affordability means accountability, local voices, and good union jobs at every step, from blueprints to keys in a tenant’s hand." Learn more here!