With Pre-K Fight Behind Him, De Blasio To Shift Focus To Affordable Housing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Now that state lawmakers have closed a budget deal to fund prekindergarten in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio is ready to turn to the next items on his sweeping liberal agenda.
The Democrat wants to increase wages for the working class and overhaul the city's recovery from Superstorm Sandy.
But de Blasio's biggest push will be on affordable housing.
He wants to create 200,000 units of affordable housing in 10 years. Housing experts say that's an ambitious but "not impossible" goal.
De Blasio is looking to get developers to add cheaper units in their projects.
He also wants Albany to give him greater control over rent regulations, legalize more cellar apartments and rezone more neighborhoods for mixed-use development.
State lawmakers have reached a deal on a $140 billion state budget, which is expected to be voted on Monday. De Blasio had hoped to fund universal prekindergarten in the city by hiking taxes on the wealthy, but his plan faced staunch opposition from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who found money in the budget to pay for programs across the state.
The budget proposal also includes new protections for charter schools after de Blasio reversed a decision to some charter schools to open or expand in public school buildings even though it was promised to them by former mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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