Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who represents New York’s 24th district in the U.S. Congress, highlighted the importance of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in addressing affordable housing challenges across the country. Speaking from Oswego, New York, Tenney pointed to a national shortage of between 4 and 7 million homes as a major factor driving up prices and putting pressure on families facing high interest rates.
In New York State, nearly 40% of households spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. More than one in five are considered severely cost-burdened, paying over half their income toward housing. Between 2012 and 2022, only 462,000 new housing units were added statewide—a rate that places New York at 32nd nationwide for growth—while rental costs increased by almost 40%.
The One Big Beautiful Bill aims to address these issues by expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). The legislation would permanently increase state allocations and lower the bond-financing threshold from 50% to 25%. These changes are intended to unlock new construction opportunities in both rural and high-cost areas by reducing investment barriers and encouraging private-sector development.
According to Tenney: “New York families face some of the steepest housing costs in the nation, while Albany’s failed leadership stalls growth and worsens the crisis. The One Big Beautiful Bill offers real, workable solutions by strengthening affordable housing, attracting private investment through LIHTC, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used to serve American families. This bill will help deliver well over a million new homes nationwide, while directly supporting families in Upstate New York and across the country.”
Tenney has served as U.S. Representative for New York’s 24th District since replacing Anthony Brindisi in 2021. She previously served in the New York State Assembly from 2011 to 2016. Born in New Hartford in 1961, she currently lives in Canandaigua. Tenney graduated from Colgate University with a BA in 1983 and earned her JD from the University of Cincinnati in 1987.
