Governor Hochul’s Interborough Express proposal uses a portion of the route outlined in RPA’s original Triboro proposal. The Governor directed the MTA to review using the Bay Ridge Line between Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and Jackson Heights, Queen - currently only used for freight rail - and identify which type of transit is ideal for it: heavy rail, light rail or bus rapid transit. The MTA began a preliminary feasibility study of this line in 2019. The MTA owns the tracks from Bay Ridge to Fresh Pond Junction while CSX owns the line from Fresh Pond Junction to Jackson Heights.
RPA originally proposed that the Triboro should run from Bay Ridge in Brooklyn all the way to Co-Op City in The Bronx. But the MTA and Amtrak are currently building Penn Access, which uses the same right of way and will provide a one-seat ride from Connecticut, Westchester and four new stations in The Bronx to Penn Station in Manhattan. It makes sense to prioritize new service in Brooklyn and Queens with the Interborough Express, and take a fresh look at transit options for The Bronx once Penn Access and the Interborough Express are both complete.
Governor Hochul’s announcement regarding ADUs and capital funding to support their creation and maintenance is very much in alignment with RPA’s recommendations. We have consistently emphasized that even if legalized, ADUs will not have a great impact unless they are coupled with financial and technical assistance for homeowners interested in building them.
Proposed new flexibility on converting hotels and offices reflects what RPA recommended over a year ago, and appears more ambitious than the enacted “HONDA Act.” This includes more flexibility for hotel conversions but also Class B offices built prior to 1980 and south of 60th Street in Manhattan.
In addition to RPA’s top-line housing recommendations, there are many other excellent proposals in Governor Hochul’s speech. Her proposed Five Year Housing Plan adopts the main policy recommendation coming from the New York Housing Conference. In RPA’s Fourth Regional Plan we called for spurring innovation in affordable housing, which is echoed in her proposals to create more competition in the housing industry and jump-starting new technologies. We also called for improving fair housing protections, which the Governor addressed by improving protections for renters providing legal assistance for tenants facing eviction beyond New York City.
The Governor’s commitment to green buildings includes a plan to achieve two million climate-friendly, electrified or electrification-ready homes by 2030 and legislation to ensure that all new building construction reaches zero-emissions by 2027. This represents the end of the “obligation to serve” and ultimately the notorious “100’ Rule” which required utilities to provide gas to new customers and socialize the cost, effectively forcing all customers to subsidize new gas infrastructure. RPA has supported this work alongside many other environmental and civic groups.
The Governor also proposed an additional $1 billion to the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green
Jobs Environmental Bond Act (formerly known as the Restore Mother Nature Bond Act). If put on the ballot and approved by voters, this would provide $4 billion to invest in resiliency measures and green infrastructure throughout the state.
The Governor and the state legislature will have a long and difficult process to negotiate these proposals, and it is not clear how many will be realized or what they will look like in the final analysis. RPA will advocate to ensure these proposals live up to their full potential, delivering major long-term benefits for New York State and the entire tri-state metropolitan region.
