NYC Council overrides Mayor Adams’ veto on housing bills by wide margin

The City Council dealt a significant legislative blow to Mayor Eric Adams.

The New York City Council voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to override Mayor Eric Adams’ veto of housing bills that would expand rental assistance, dealing the mayor his first major legislative blow in a rare showdown between the two main branches of the city's government.

The 42-8 vote marked the first time the Council has overridden a mayor in nearly a decade. Adams’ predecessor, Bill de Blasio, had an unusually collegial relationship with the Council and didn’t issue a single veto during his eight years in office.

“The fact that we have to override a veto is incomprehensible to me,” said Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, referring to the four bills that she argued would help prevent people from needing to enter homeless shelters.

Less than two years into his term, Adams has butted heads with the Council on issues such as the migrant crisis, the city’s response to the recent air quality emergency, and the recent budget.

Now, both sides are locked in a contentious battle over how much the city should expand rental subsidies during a worsening affordable housing crisis.

Councilmembers say distributing more aid to low-income New Yorkers at risk of eviction is crucial at a moment when rents are soaring and the population of the city’s shelter system has reached record levels.

Adams has objected to the costs of funding an expansion, which city budget officials have estimated at $17 billion. The Council has said the amount would be closer to $11 billion.

"Unlike the [City Council], we do not ... believe that New Yorkers should spend $17 billion on a package of bills that would put New Yorkers in shelter at the back of the line for a CityFHEPS voucher and make it harder for them to find permanent housing," Adams said in a prepared statement after the vote. "We will continue to do all that we can to build more housing and tackle decades of exclusionary zoning policies that have prevented our city from building an adequate housing supply. We are reviewing our options and next steps.”

The mayor and administration officials have also argued the program would incentivize renters to stop paying their rent and risk eviction so they can become eligible for housing vouchers.

Advocates have dismissed such arguments as ill-informed.

“That’s just asinine,” said Christine Quinn, who heads the nonprofit organization WIN. “I run some of the best shelters in this city, and no one wants to be there.”

The override now sets up a potential court battle over the legislation. The mayor has argued that the bills exceed the Council’s legal authority, a sign that he may either sue the body or refuse to enforce the laws, which go into effect in 180 days. Should he do the latter, the Council could sue the administration to force the city to comply.

Speaking to reporters before the vote, the speaker said she had not heard from the administration about a possible lawsuit but added that she hoped the two sides could work collaboratively.

When asked how the Council would respond to a lawsuit, she said, “we’ll cross that bridge when and if we come to it."

The relationship between the speaker and mayor has appeared strained in recent months, marked by budget negotiations that the speaker described as “difficult.” Both lawmakers have known each other for many years and attended Bayside High School at the same time.

The speaker said she and the mayor had spoken since the budget's passage, but suggested they do not speak frequently.

When a reporter noted that the mayor often bristles at criticism from the press, the speaker said her critiques are not met with the same reaction.

“That I can attest to,” she said with a chuckle.

This story has been updated with additional information.