New York Adds Low-Income Towers to Clean Buildings Law

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) signed a bill Tuesday to include large residential buildings with 35% or fewer affordable housing units in its clean buildings law.

New York’s success in protecting both the climate and low-income residents establishes a model for other cities to follow, said Sonal Jessel, a policy and advocacy coordinator at West Harlem Environmental Action Inc., also known as WE ACT for Environmental Justice.

The idea of including low-income residential buildings in New York’s clean buildings law wasn’t part of the early discussions on the legislation, for fear that landlords could pass on the ...