Quinn Asks State To Block Mitchell-Lama Opt Out

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is calling for the state to block a large private landowner from opting out of a low- and middle-income housing program if it does not provide for long-term affordability. Ms. Quinn in a statement yesterday urged the state to prevent the 5,800-apartment Starrett City housing complex from leaving the Mitchell Lama program, as the owners have begun the process to opt out.

Such an intervention by the state would be very rare, as a strong residential market has propelled owners of thousands of units of housing in the city to leave the program in recent years.

Landlords are approved to leave the program provided that they follow the required laws, according to a spokesman for the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal.