Planning, Economic Development and Land Use Committee - Regular Meeting
About this meeting
- Government Body
- Planning, Economic Development and Land Use Committee
- Meeting Type
- Planning, Economic Development And Land Use Committee
- Location
- Albany, NY
- Meeting Date
- March 18, 2026
Video will appear here as soon as Albany Planning, Economic Development and Land Use Committee posts it — usually within a day of the meeting
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
2 items on the agenda.
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Start free trialA RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL REAPPOINTING DONALD HYMAN TO THE PUBLIC, EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT ACCESS OVERSIGHT BOARD
WHEREAS, pursuant to section 42-376 of the Code of the City of Albany, the Common Council is required to appoint four members to the Public, Education and Government Access Oversight Board; and WHEREAS, Board members serve for three-year terms, in which there are no term limits; and WHEREAS, the term of one of these Council-appointed seats expired on June 30, 2025; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of Albany hereby reappoints Donald Hyman to the Public, Education and Government Access Oversight Board for a term that will expire on June 30, 2028.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 375 (UNIFIED SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ALBANY IN RELATION TO ADJUSTING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT AND ADDING EXCEPTIONS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING REQUIREMENT
Section 1. Subsection 5 (Incentives and affordable housing requirements) of section 375-401 (Dimensional Standard) of Article IV (Development Standards) of Chapter 375 (Unified Sustainable Development Ordinance) of Part II (General Legislation) is hereby amended to read as follows: (b) Affordable housing incentive. New residential or mixed-use development of a site in which at least 10% of all new dwelling units are rent or deed restricted so that they are affordable to households earning no more than 70% of the area median household income for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area for the City of Albany as determined by affordability methods used by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, shall receive the following benefits: (i) The minimum number of off-street parking required by § 375-405 may be reduced by 100%; and (ii) The project may increase the maximum height of any principal building (or part of a principal building) by one story. (iii) In any permitted three-or-more unit dwelling, a development shall be allowed to exceed the maximum number of dwelling units otherwise permitted by the Unified Sustainable Development Ordinance, but in no event by more than 20%. (c) Affordable housing requirement. Each new residential or mixed-use development or redevelopment containing 20 or more new dwelling units shall be required to sell or rent a portion of its new dwelling units at sales-or-prices or base rents respectively affordable to persons providing proof of their earning no more than 70% of the area median household income for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area for the applicable household size, as determined by affordability methods used by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The minimum portion of affordable dwellings for each development or redevelopment shall be determined by the following standard. (i) 7% of new dwelling units shall be affordable for developments or redevelopment with 20 or more but no more than 49 new dwelling units; (ii) 10% of new dwelling units shall be affordable for developments or redevelopment with 50 or more but no more than 60 new dwelling units; (iii) 12% of new dwelling units shall be affordable for developments or redevelopment with more than 60 but no more than 75 new dwelling units; (iv) 13% of new dwelling units shall be affordable for developments or redevelopment with 76 or more new dwelling units. (d) Alternative compliance (i) An applicant for development or redevelopment with more than 20 units may reduce the number of units that shall be affordable to 0% by paying, on or before, but no later than ninety days from the date of issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, $50,000.00 per unit that would otherwise be required to be affordable pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection. (ii) Payments required pursuant to subparagraphs (i) of this paragraph shall be payable to a Housing Trust Fund of the Albany Community Development Agency, which Agency shall put the majority of such Housing Trust Fund payments toward tenant-related assistance programs and the remainder of such funds toward homeowners' assistance programs, which shall include but shall not be limited to homeownership down payment assistance programs, homeownership emergency repair programs, or other housing grant programs administered by the Albany Community Development Agency as determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and the Housing Trust Fund Advisory Board. The Housing Trust Fund Advisory Board shall be composed of ten (10) members, appointed as follows: Three (3) representatives from community-based organizations that primarily support low-income residents in the City of Albany, as approved by the Albany Common Council Housing and Community Development Committee, three (3) members appointed by the Mayor of the City of Albany, one (1) member appointed by the Albany Common Council President, one (1) member appointed by the Albany Common Council President Pro Temp, one (1) member appointed by the Albany Common Council Majority Leader, and one (1) member appointed by the Albany Common Council Majority Whip The Housing Trust Fund Advisory Board shall work with the Albany Community Development Agency to recommend target programs to be supported by the Housing Trust Fund. (iii) The failure of the applicant to submit the payment required pursuant to this paragraph within ninety (90) days of the date of issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy shall render said applicant unable to participate in the alternative compliance method prescribed by paragraph (d) of this subsection and require adherence to the affordable housing requirement pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection. (e) Exceptions to the affordable housing requirement. Paragraph (c) of this subsection shall not apply to the creation of new residential or mixed-use development or redevelopment containing 20 or more new dwelling units that are wholly senior living facilities, including: (i) Independent living; (ii) Assisted living; (iii) Nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities; or (iv) Continuing care retirement communities. (f) Administration of the affordable housing requirement. (i) The Albany Community Development Agency, in coordination with the Fair Housing Officer, as determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services shall be responsible for administering the affordable housing requirement of this subsection by: a. Maintaining a public listing of dwelling units subject to this section, including by publishing such listing by means of the internet; b. Collecting information from the developer of each development or redevelopment, including an affordable housing compliance plan detailing the methodology utilized by such developer to ensure that sales and rentals are conducted in conformance with the affordability requirements established by this section; and c. Publishing a report annually, by January 31st of each year, regarding new residential or mixed-use development or redevelopment subject to Paragraph (c) of this subsection. which shall include but shall not be limited to information regarding the affordable units created pursuant to this subsection and the disbursement of the Housing Trust Fund payments. (ii) Developers required to comply with Paragraph (c) of this subsection shall specify the following in the affordable housing compliance plan: a. The number of ownership and/or rental units planned to be built; b. The number, type and size of such affordable dwelling units, which shall be comparable to other market-rate units of the same type to be built; c. Unit floor plans, schematics, and phasing details for the entire project; d. The name and address of the entity responsible for development; e. The manner in which the required affordable units will be advertised; and f. Any additional information required by the Chief Planning Official. (iii) No project-specific development approval, building permit, or certificate of occupancy shall be issued for projects subject § 375-401(5)(c) unless an affordable housing compliance plan has been submitted. If the owner or developer violates Section 375-401(5)(c), including but not limited to by not constructing the required affordable housing units, the City may deny, suspend, or revoke any and all development approvals and pursue penalties as provided for in § 375-507 of the USDO. Any decision of the Chief Planning Official may be appealed according to the appeals procedures set forth in Section 375-504(12). Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect immediately.