Advocacy Alert: Tell Your Council Member NYC Needs Affordable Artist Housing
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Advocacy Alert: Tell Your Council Member NYC Needs Affordable Artist Housing
Tell Your Council Member
NYC Needs Affordable Artist Housing
Right now, the dance community has the opportunity to clear the path for more affordable housing for artists in New York City. Join Dance/NYC and tell your Council Member to co-sponsor the new artist housing bill.
What is happening?
On November 12, Council Members Keith Powers and Erik Bottcher introduced a new bill that would reduce the barriers to creating artist housing complexes like Westbeth and Manhattan Plaza. The legislation would amend NYC human rights law to clarify that it is legal to create affordable artist housing. The bill currently needs more co-sponsors to effectively advance in the City Council.
Why does this matter?
According to our State of NYC Dance 2023 Report, dancers and choreographers earn less than $40,000 a year working an average of 4.5 different jobs. The median asking rent for a NYC apartment that same year was $3,500—about $200 more than their total monthly income. Paving the way for more affordable and accessible housing opportunities for artists can help ensure that working-class creatives can remain in the communities they serve.
What can you do?
Join New Yorkers for Culture and Arts by telling your City Council Member to co-sponsor the new bill and support affordable housing for artists.
Together, we can build a city where all dance artists can live and thrive in New York City.
