Velázquez Secures Major Wins for Cooperative Housing and Strengthens Public Housing Oversight in New York

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) secured key provisions in H.R. 6644 the Housing for the 21st Century Act to expand access to affordable housing through cooperative ownership models while strengthening Congressional oversight to protect tenants in federally monitored public housing authorities.

Velázquez successfully included targeted language in Sections 101, 405, 406, and 407 of the legislation to explicitly recognize housing cooperatives as eligible entities for federal housing programs and funding. These clarifying provisions added the term “cooperative(s)” where applicable, ensuring that cooperative housing developments are not excluded from participating in existing programs due to ambiguous statutory language. 

“Cooperative housing is one of the strongest tools we have to preserve long-term affordability and keep working families in their communities,” said Velázquez. “In a city like New York, where rising housing costs are driving displacement, cooperatives provide a resident-owned model that stabilizes neighborhoods and protects affordability from market pressures. The provisions I secured ensure cooperatives remain accessible, sustainable, and a central part of our affordable housing strategy.”

Cooperative housing provides financially stable, resident-owned housing to more than 1.5 million families nationwide and remains a critical source of affordable homeownership and housing stability, in New York City. 

In addition to expanding cooperative housing, Velázquez secured new oversight and transparency requirements in Section 502 to strengthen accountability for public housing authorities overseen by a federal monitor or receiver.  The provision responds directly to chronic maintenance issues at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the court-appointed federal monitor’s lack of coordination and collaboration with the city’s Congressional Delegation. 

This enhanced oversight ensures taxpayer dollars are being used effectively, residents’ needs are addressed, and lawmakers are providing NYCHA and other struggling PHAs with the resources and tools they need to improve their operations and conditions.   

“For too long, NYCHA residents have endured unsafe conditions while the court-ordered federal monitor has had limited interaction with our city’s Congressional delegation.  Today we are changing that.  By requiring monitors and receivers to provide annual reports and testimony to Congress we can help provide public housing authorities around the country with the resources they need to facilitate repairs and improve the lives of residents,” said Velázquez.   

The provisions advance a comprehensive approach to affordable housing and deliver meaningful protections and opportunities for New Yorkers facing a housing affordability crisis.

Find the quotes of support here.

Find the full legislation here.

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