New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams hosted an open forum with residents of southeast Queens on Thursday, June 15, to hear their concerns about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed New York Housing Compact, a plan that would create 800,000 new homes in New York over the next decade to address homelessness, lack of affordability and an overall housing shortage throughout the state.
Hosted at the Roy Wilkins Recreation Center on Baisley Boulevard, the meeting also included local southeast Queens representatives, who stalled the 6 p.m. meeting until 45 minutes after when Williams finally arrived. Williams, who has held the public advocate position since 2019, said it was important for him to visit the community, referring to the housing crisis’ effect on Black and Brown families.
