What Is "Workforce Housing"?

The Galvan Foundation was granted a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) and other tax abatements for 76 North Seventh Street on the premise that the building was to provide "workforce housing." Workforce housing seems to be something of a weasel term, not clearly defined anywhere. For 76 North Seventh Street, it seems to mean affordable to households with incomes between 80 and 130 percent of the area median income (AMI). The apartments, currently being leased with rents ranging from $1,569 or $2,275 to $3,600 a month, have been marketed in a manner that seems meant to appeal to Millennials and Gen Z.  

Crosswinds at Hudson is also defined as "workforce housing." By contrast, its marketing brochure can be found here.  

According to the brochure, which is dated May 22, 2024, rents range from $825 for a one-bedroom apartment to $1,005 for a three-bedroom unit. The brochure also specifies maximum income limits and minimum income requirements to qualify for an apartment at Crosswinds. Those seeking an apartment at Crosswinds must submit with their application copies of the following: birth certificates for all household members; Social Security cards for all household members; the applicant's driver's license. 

On a separate but related issue, on Tuesday, Gossips drew attention to a comment about 76 North Seventh Street made by Eric Baxter, vice president of Baxter Construction Management, and quoted in the Times Union: 

The apartments will initially be marketed and rented to people in the AMI brackets, Baxter Vice President Eric Baxter said. He called renting to these people the "priority," but said the rentals will be opened up to people of any income level if they are not snatched up by the intended groups.

At the Planning Board meeting on Tuesday night, representatives of the Galvan Foundation presented some alterations to the original design for landscaping and for the creation of a 64th unit in the building. In making the presentation, Charles Gottlieb, attorney for Galvan, told the Planning Board, "Applications are still coming in for affordable units, market rate units. . . ." His statement is worthy of note, because there aren't supposed to be any market rate units in the building. Of course, it's possible Gottlieb simply misspoke. He did tell the Planning Board that the building's address used to be 708 State Street and it was now 76 State Street.

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