Hochul and Albany Dems clash on housing as session ends
Governor Kathy Hochul and Democratic state lawmakers have clashed over a failed housing deal during the final day of the legislative session. The deal would have increased tenant protections while extending a controversial tax incentive for existing projects. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said they couldn’t reach a deal with the governor on the plan and it “takes all three parties – the Senate, the Assembly and the governor.” Hochul’s spokeswoman, Julie Wood, fired back with a suggestion the two leaders were bluffing about being ready to pass a package of housing bills. The failed deal marks the end of complicated relations between the governor and state lawmakers following her election in November 2022.
FAQs
What was the prospective housing deal that failed?
The failed agreement would have increased tenant protections while extending a controversial tax incentive for existing projects.
What did Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins say?
They said they couldn’t come to an agreement with the governor on the prospective housing deal, stating it “takes all three parties – the Senate, the Assembly and the governor.”
What did Hochul’s spokeswoman say about the failed agreement?
Julie Wood fired back with a suggestion the two leaders were bluffing about being ready to pass a package of housing bills.
What does this mean for the end of the legislative session?
It marks the end of complicated relations between the governor and state lawmakers following her election in November 2022. The state Senate and Assembly are expected to pass bills on a range of issues before the end of the session, and it remains unclear how many of them Hochul might sign or veto in the coming months.

As session concludes, conflict arises between Hochul and Albany Dems over housing matters.
The 2023 legislative session in New York State ended with a clash between Governor Kathy Hochul and Democratic lawmakers after a prospective housing deal failed to materialize. Legislative leaders claimed that the failed agreement would have extended a controversial tax incentive for tenant protection, but despite Hochul putting forward leading housing legislation, the legislature rejected it flatly. Friction between the governor and Democratic legislators occurred as the state Senate and Assembly passed bills on a wide range of issues. State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie blamed Hochul for the failure of the housing package, but the governor’s spokeswoman, Julie Wood, accused them of bluffing and blaming her for their own failure to act. As the session wound down, some bills appeared likely to pass, though there were concerns about the potential for backroom deals and the public’s best interests being sidelined. The session marked six months of complicated relations between Hochul and state lawmakers following her election last November, including a fierce backlash from organized labor and state Senate Democrats who voted down Hochul’s nomination of Hector LaSalle as chief judge. The state budget process also saw the governor clash with the Democratic supermajorities over issues such as bail reform and increasing affordable housing. State lawmakers have passed hundreds of bills over the past six months that Hochul will consider before the end of the year.