Following New York State Governor Kathy Hochul’s FY24 budget address, LIUNA Vice President and Eastern Regional Manager Michael Hellstrom released the following statement:
“I applaud Governor Kathy Hochul’s bold vision to build 800,000 homes as part of her New York Housing Compact. Governor Hochul demonstrates a keen understanding of the very real challenges families face securing safe, affordable housing and has put forth an ambitious and responsive policy proposal.
“While details of the Governor’s housing plan have yet to be finalized, it is my sincere hope that the New York Housing Compact will include clear and enforceable labor standards that protect workers, strengthen communities, and help ensure responsible contracting in the residential construction industry. If done right, the Housing Compact will not only build housing, it will also build long term careers in the unionized construction industry and set workplace standards that will extend far beyond any one building program.
“We will be working diligently until the April 1st budget deadline to ensure labor standards and protections are added to the final agreement. We trust that—together with Governor Hochul and our partners in the legislature–we can find a path forward that better supports the needs of working people in New York.”
