| | | | |  | | By Nick Reisman, Jeff Coltin and Emily Ngo | Presented by Healthcare Education Project | With help from Jason Beeferman
|  A plot of land being developed into multifamily housing on Long Island. While Lawmakers, businesses and politicians can't see eye to eye on policy, nearly everyone agrees the state has too much demand and not enough housing supply. | Seth Wenig/AP | The fight over housing policy in New York is ending the year much as the legislative session concluded — with finger-pointing galore over the lack of action. A key labor union is blaming business interests. Businesses are criticizing lawmakers. And Gov. Kathy Hochul has indicated her scuttled housing compact from this year won’t make a repeat appearance in 2024. Nearly everyone involved in the debate over housing agrees there is a problem with too little supply and too much demand, making it difficult for tenants to pay rent and harder for people to buy their first home. But as the legislative session in Albany is set to kick off in a month, early shots are being fired. The business-backed Homeowners for an Affordable New York is criticizing a trio of Democrats in the state Senate for supporting the stalled “Good Cause Eviction” proposal, designed to make it harder for landlords to evict tenants or raise rents. State Sens. Toby Ann Stavisky, John Liu and Peter Harckham, who have signed onto the measure, are the targets of a mailer being sent by the group that says the bill is being pushed by “Socialists and Marxists” (a Senate Democratic spokesman declined to comment). “Rather than address evictions, it would devastate New York’s existing housing supply, raise rents for nearly every tenant, and discourage new development, leading to an increase in homelessness,” the group’s spokesperson Greg Drilling said. “It’s reckless, fanatical, and unserious, and we urge every member of the state legislature to reject it." Housing advocate Cea Weaver of Housing Justice for All blasted the mailers as “red baiting” and called the lawmakers targeted by the mailers “champions” for housing and pointing to polling the shows voters are concerned about affordability. “Next year, voters will be looking for representatives who will deliver for their constituents on bread and butter issues like housing costs,” Weaver said. Meanwhile, the New York City District Council of Carpenters is blasting the Real Estate Board of New York in a letter obtained by Playbook to members of the state Assembly, blaming the consortium for a lack of action on housing issues like replacing the 421a tax abatement program, creating new tenants protections and a housing voucher program. “They would rather your constituents endure homelessness and poverty because they cannot stand the idea of making one dollar less — despite their billions of dollars in revenue,” the union’s executive secretary-treasurer, Joseph Geiger, wrote in the letter of REBNY. Union officials insist they want to reach a deal on the issue in Albany after talks broke down earlier this year between Hochul and the Legislature. “We have to do something, the crisis is at such magnitude, playing politics isn’t an option anymore,” the union’s Political Director Kevin Elkins said in an interview. “The space for a grand compromise is there.” But REBNY is also similarly insistent its members want to address the housing issue in New York City with officials and unions. “That includes continuing to work with the Building and Construction Trades Council, and its constituent unions, on a plan that pays good construction wages and benefits as part of any new program that spurs the creation of multifamily, mixed income rental housing,” a spokesperson said. — Nick Reisman
| | | | A message from Healthcare Education Project: Medicaid pays New York’s hospitals 30% less than the actual cost of their care. But hospitals give all of their patients 100%, each and every day. Medicaid underpayments have already meant cuts to mental health services and maternity care. Albany can fix this injustice: Stop Medicaid underpayments and help hospitals stay open. Tell Albany: Every New Yorker deserves healthcare, no matter their income or ZIP code. End the Medicaid funding crisis now. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? Delivering remarks at the Empire State Plaza Tree Lighting. WHERE’S ERIC? Holding a public hearing on fair housing legislation and signing a tax credits bill, speaking at the Mayor's Office Of Immigrant Affairs’ Cities for Action convening and hosting a community conversation. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We’re on offense. We’re winning in New York and, as we saw with the local elections on Long Island [earlier this month], we’re sweeping with Republicans.” — Rep. Elise Stefanik on Sunday outside a GOP fundraiser in Manhattan with House Speaker Mike Johnson
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | | 
Mike Sapraicone, a Republican candidate for New York's 3rd Congressional District in 2024, is accused of coercing a false confession as an NYPD detective and ignoring evidence that kept a man wrongly imprisoned for over 20 years. | Sapraicone for Congress | Sapraicone for Congress | VETTING THEM THIS TIME: Mike Sapraicone, who George Santos endorsed for his old seat Sunday, was accused of coercing a false confession as an NYPD detective and ignoring exonerating evidence that kept a man wrongly imprisoned for two decades. Robert Majors sued the city, Sapraicone and three other detectives in 2021. Majors had been convicted of attempted murder and robbery in a 1997 case in Queens. An informant told Sapraicone and the other detectives at the time that Majors wasn’t involved, and an eyewitness described someone who wore their hair differently than Majors. But Majors alleged the detectives suppressed and ignored that evidence, then held another suspect for 30 hours to give a statement that he later disavowed tying Majors to the crime. When that evidence came to light, a judge vacated Majors’ conviction. Sapraicone didn’t get a chance to defend himself in court — the city settled Majors’ federal civil rights lawsuit for $3.3 million. Sapraicone retired in 2001. His campaign spokesperson Scott Glick suggested Sapraicone wasn’t even aware of the lawsuit and accusations, since he was represented by the city law department. And he distanced the candidate from the case. “Mr. Sapraicone only worked in a supportive role during this case and was not the lead or arresting detective,” he said. Meanwhile, Sapraicone, a Republican, “wants absolutely nothing to do with an endorsement from Santos,” Glick said. He’s called him “a crook and fraudster who has no business serving in Congress.” — Jeff Coltin
| | WHAT CITY HALL IS READING | | | 
Adams will center the two-day Cities for Action conference, which will be attended by representatives from over 20 cities, on best practices for dealing with the migrant crisis. | Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Mayor Eric Adams sees coalition-building as an answer to the migrant crisis. He’ll focus the eighth annual Cities for Action forum on a “national asylum seeker response” as he hosts more than 20 cities for the two-day event, City Hall will announce today. Adams and other leaders from around the country are expected to discuss the best approaches to resettling migrants and lobbying for federal aid. Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Denver will be part of the gathering. They, with New York City, are also part of a collective approach to pressuring President Joe Biden that included a letter urging financial aid as well as a visit to Washington (that Adams rushed away from when the FBI raided his fundraiser’s home). Adams is banking on having more success as part of a group than he has on his own in securing Biden’s help, considering the deep freeze between them. But as cities ask the federal government for national resettlement and decompression plans, FEMA and the White House have been questioning cities about their strategies, according to correspondence obtained by Playbook. Federal officials are asking cities like New York City how they’ll house migrants in cold weather, how they’d handle a surge that may come once winter subsides and what their long-term strategies are. — Emily Ngo DON’T BANK ON IT: Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks could be resigning at the end of the year — or not. That’s what he’d prefer you think at least. Amid rumors an announcement of his resignation was imminent, the former cop and right-hand man of Adams was asked point-blank on Friday if he plans on resigning by the end of the year. “When you tell me who you heard it from, I'll answer the question,” Banks said of the rumors, which he was asked about multiple times. His persistent refusal to reveal whether he will stay in the administration occurred during Friday’s “public safety briefing,” the first of its kind since putting a pause on the briefings. Reporters were expecting Banks to finally bring the resignation chatter to rest during the briefing. Instead, they were met with a panel discussion centered on “defining the role that the Department of Probation serves in the criminal justice system” that seemed to be apropos of … nothing. “The public could care less,” Banks said of his status in the administration. “You know what the public's concerned about? Safety. They don’t care who [delivers] it to them. They don't care what an individual person is doing.” — Jason Beeferman More from the city: — Pressure from Adams’ team to fast-track an FDNY inspection of a Hudson Yards tower triggered the cancellation of fire inspections for a dozen non-VIP New Yorkers. (The City) — As Adams prepares to ask for an extension of mayoral control next year, state education officials are analyzing whether the set-up should be scrapped. (NY1) — The mayor hopes to raise $500,000 for his legal defense fund in just the next two weeks. (New York Post)
| | | | A message from Healthcare Education Project:   | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | |  The New York City Democratic Socialists of America are expected to endorse Jonathan Soto, of the East Bronx, and Eon Huntley, of Bed-Stuy, in their races for state Assembly. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images | DSA IS ON THE HUNT-LEY: The New York City Democratic Socialists of America are expected this week to formally endorse two more Assembly challengers: Jonathan Soto, who’s planning to take on East Bronx Assemblymember Michael Benedetto a second time; and Eon Huntley, who’s running against Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman in Bed-Stuy. Huntley, a fashion designer turned retail worker at Bergdorf Goodman, calls himself a “proletariat in bourgeoisie clothing.” And when DSA critics come at him for his high-end environment? “That’s laughable,” he told Playbook. “I am a worker and laborer. I stand up all day. I make an hourly wage and commission.” Huntley, who like Zinerman is Black, was the PTA president at his kids’ public school, and he too is a product of public schools. He’s lived in Brooklyn his whole life, growing up in East New York and NYCHA housing. He’ll criticize Zinerman on her support for charter schools, which “are not what the community needs” and her opposition to tenant friendly legislation like “good cause” eviction when the district is majority renters. Bed-Stuy may be a hot spot in the June Democratic primary — DSA’s been criticized for pro-Palestinian organizing, and allies of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries are talking about taking on DSA state Sen. Jabari Brisport. NYC-DSA previously endorsed Claire Valdez for Assembly member Juan Ardila’s western Queens seat. — Jeff Coltin More from Albany: — The State Liquor Authority is trying to clear a backlog of 6,000 applications. (Times Union) — Cyclists have the same protections as motor vehicle drivers when stopped by the police, the state’s top court has ruled. (Spectrum News) — Health care costs are increasing with inflation and weight-loss drugs partly to blame. (Newsday)
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | | | 
Former Rep. Tom Suozzi held a fundraiser with a group closely aligned with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2022. | Cheriss May/Getty Images | TOM AND TURKEY: Former Rep. Tom Suozzi held a fundraiser last year with the Turkish American National Steering Committee — which is closely aligned with Turkey’s authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Suozzi is the top Democratic contender for the special election for the Santos seat and has previously criticized Erdoğan. The group known as TASC thanked Suozzi in a post on X a year ago for meeting with the Turkish community. The group’s New York representative, Erol Akyurek, hosted and donated $5,000 to Suozzi’s campaign for governor, and at least 10 other Turkish-Americans contributed, too. The Turkish government has faced newfound scrutiny in New York. It is now reportedly under investigation for running an influence scheme involving Adams — a close Suozzi ally. Akyurek, who owns a plumbing company, is a frequent Democratic donor who has given to dozens of candidates and committees, including, on three occasions, to Adams. While the details of the federal investigation are limited, there’s no reporting tying Ayurek to it. He and TASC didn’t respond to a request for comment. Suozzi has met with critics of Erdoğan and posted about his human rights abuses. So while Akyurek was an official representative of TASC at the time, he distanced himself from the group, and the Turkish government. “The event was hosted by individuals and not by an organization,” said his senior adviser Kim Devlin. “Tom Suozzi remains publicly critical of the Erdoğan administration and its human rights positions regarding Armenia, Cyprus and the Gülen community. Tom is committed to fixing what is not right and will always call out bad actors.” Suozzi is also a co-chair at consulting firm Actum, which has lobbied for the Erdoğan-aligned Turkey-US Business Council. Actum Partner Michael McKeon told Playbook the firm no longer represents the group and that Suozzi was never involved with that client and never met with them. — Jeff Coltin More from the delegation: — Disgraced serial liar George Santos accused four Republican Congress members of serious violations and vowing to file ethics complaints against them. (New York Post) — George Santos indicated he will be doing a pay-per-view interview with satirical comedian and late-night host Ziwe. (Via Santos’s twitter)
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The nation’s oldest gun maker, Remington, is closing its factory outside of Utica, after financial struggles and bankruptcy proceedings. (WAMC) — Over 40 percent of MTA bus riders don’t pay the fare, according to new data. (Crain’s New York Business) — Four family members were killed in Queens, and two cops were injured, by an unhinged man wielding a steak knife. (am New York) — Get ready for Albany’s annual, irreverent Santa Speedo Sprint. (Times Union)
| | | | A message from Healthcare Education Project: All New Yorkers deserve equal access to quality healthcare, no matter their income or ZIP code. Yet today, Medicaid pays New York’s hospitals 30% less than the actual cost of care for the low-income individuals the program covers, including children, the disabled, and seniors. But hospitals give all of their patients 100%, each and every day. Medicaid underpayments have already meant cuts to mental health services and maternity care.
Albany can fix this injustice: Stop Medicaid underpayments and help hospitals stay open. The federal government will pay half the cost of closing the Medicaid funding gap, it’s a huge savings for New York. Tell Albany: End the Medicaid funding crisis now. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | ENGAGED — Jon Ostendorff, a communications consultant, proposed to Kate Hunter, a White House and politics editor at Bloomberg News. The couple met at the UNC campus newspaper the Daily Tar Heel in the late 90s and then reconnected decades later. He proposed the Saturday after Thanksgiving in their living room in front of their Christmas tree which they had spent the day putting up. Pic OUT AND ABOUT — Former Newsday journalist Mark Chiusano and Time’s Charlotte Alter hosted a book party for Chiusano’s extremely well-timed book “The Fabulist: The Lying, Husting, Grifting, Stealing and Very American Legend of George Santos” Saturday night at Soapbox Gallery in Prospect Heights. The same night, Deadline scooped that HBO was planning a movie based on the book. SPOTTED: Astead Herndon, Emily Greenhouse, Martin Mulkeen, Irin Carmon, Rebecca Panovka, Kiara Barrow, Jon Caramanica, Alyssa Katz, Katie Glueck, Jesse Coburn, Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, Emma Goldberg, Ross Barkan, Will Bredderman, Noah Rayman and Hazel Crampton-Hays. — The Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association had their 42nd annual bipartisan policy seminar and luncheon at the Metropolitan Club in NYC on Saturday hosted by David N. Taylor and Gregory Bentley and was moderated by G. Terry Madonna. Speakers included Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Dave McCormick, Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Pa. Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Jordan Harris, Joshua Kail, Joseph Pittman, Cherelle Parker and Stacy Garrity. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Suzanne Malveaux … Al Hunt … CNBC’s Whitney Ksiazek … Josh Brooks (WAS SUNDAY): NBC’s Ali Zelenko … Jesse Lee … Mandi Critchfield of Senate Finance … David K. Shipler ... Jeffrey Dinowitz ... Joshua Karlip ... Stephen T. Levin … Elizabeth Edelman (WAS SATURDAY): VA Secretary Denis McDonough … Nancy Haberman … Louise Sunshine ... NBC’s Chris Berend … ABC’s Brad Mielke … Treasury’s Liz Rosenberg … Stone Phillips … BerlinRosen’s Sam Schneider … Johanna Herrmann, chief of staff to the chief comms officer of Merck (4-0) (h/t Mariam Eatedali)… Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff ... Jacky Bitton (WAS FRIDAY): Sarah Silverman ... Natalie Ravitz … Jane Weitzman ... Peter Kalikow ... John M. Shapiro IN MEMORIAM: Kenneth Sherrill, political science professor emeritus at Hunter College who may have been New York’s first out gay person elected to office when he won a Democratic district leader in Manhattan in 1977, died Saturday at 81. (h/t Taína Borrero)
| | Real Estate | | — Rapper Kendrick Lamar paid $8.6 million for this duplex near the Brooklyn Heights waterfront. (New York Times) — Wells Fargo and other companies are expanding their commercial office space by 445,000 square-feet at 20 Hudson Yards. (New York Post) | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
