Housing in focus (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

The inclusive, affordable, and transformative redevelopment of the Astoria waterfront is at risk of falling apart without decisive action from the State Legislature. 

Last year, the City Council and Mayor Eric Adams approved the rezoning for Halletts North; a project that is set to transform a long-dormant site on Astoria’s waterfront into a mixed-use building with nearly 1,400 homes for families of all sizes, including 335 apartments at deep affordability levels. 

This project’s approval was a collaborative effort. City Council Member Tiffany Cabán negotiated for deeper affordability to better meet Astoria residents’ housing needs. Additionally, the developer agreed to set aside optimal space within the completed project for local nonprofits, such as Zone 126 and Urban Upbound (an organization that I co-founded 19 years ago) to offer essential programming to community members. To help address some of the community’s immediate needs, the developers also allocated $1 million to the Astoria Houses for the residents to use at their own discretion. 

Unfortunately, the build-out of Halletts North is facing delays largely due to supply chain issues that have affected much of our city’s construction industry. Completing the construction of Halletts North by the deadline for projects already vested in the old 421-a tax abatement program for affordable housing development — by June 2026 — will be nearly impossible. 

In the few days before the end of legislative session, there is still time for Albany to take action that would clear the way for the completion of Halletts North. The deadline to complete construction on projects vested in 421-a could be extended beyond 2026, and this extension could be granted exclusively to projects that achieve the deepest levels of affordability associated with the old 421-a program. This nuanced approach would ensure that the time and efforts of the Astoria residents who support Halletts North are heard and honored. 

At Urban Upbound, our mission is to provide residents of public housing and lower-income communities with the tools they need to achieve economic independence and break cycles of poverty. Zone 126 works to build strong educational pipelines that close achievement gaps for Black, Latino, and low-income students in Western Queens. The agreement to construct Halletts North would provide these two organizations with 10,000 square feet of space in the new development, which we plan to use for small business and job-incubator programs. We can create an inspiring and innovative space where residents, especially those from the nearby Astoria Houses, can hone their workforce, academic, and entrepreneurial skills as well as receive one-on-one financial counseling. 

We face a dramatic housing crisis, one that dominates the headlines every single day. Without new deeply affordable housing, this crisis will only get worse. Projects like Hallets North present Albany with an opportunity to support the efforts of local communities working to leverage development for the greater good. 

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Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor is the CEO & Co-founder of the nonprofit Urban Upbound.