Shrestha’s winning bid was backed by the “Yes in My Backyard” group Open New York,

The rent in New York City is too high. One nonprofit is helping fight for more affordable housing to be created during this housing crisis.

“What we’re seeing is a rapidly shifting consensus toward pro-housing policies,” said Annemarie Gray, the executive director of Open New York, a nonprofit that supports more development and has encouraged its members to apply to sit on community boards.

Jorge Romero, miembro de la organización Open Nueva York, también hizo un llamado a que se respalde el proyecto e insistió en que no se puede detener un programa que creará más unidades de vivienda por detalles que calificó como “egoístas”, cuando la prioridad debe ser levantar más apartamentos.

Over 15 hours, 204 people testified, and 110 of them spoke in favor of the zoning plan, according to an informal count from pro-housing group Open New York.

Flatbush resident Elizabeth Denys, who is a member of pro-housing group Open New York, said they, like many others, is worried their family, friends, and neighbors will be pushed out of the city due to the housing shortage and skyrocketing rents, and their children won’t be able to find somewhere they can afford to live. “I’m really excited about the entirety of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity Initiative, and I urge the City Planning Commission to approve this proposal in its strongest possible form.”

Passing the Faith-Based Affordable Housing Act should have been easy. Who would stand in the way of churches building on their own land? But the state bill ran into resistance from the not-in-my-backyard crowd, according to an op-ed by the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Andrew Gounardes. “Efforts at preserving an undefined ‘neighborhood character’ usually lack formal criteria and function to advance exclusionary community preferences and even racial bias,” he wrote.

Both Shrestha and Rochester Assemblyman Desmond Meeks have had supportive mailings from “Abundant New York,” a PAC run by Open New York, which supports “good-cause” eviction and building more housing in the state.