04.23.2025 Fix 224-a Now and Deliver for New York’s Workers
Every New Yorker agrees that we need more housing, better infrastructure, and projects that spur economic growth. And according to a poll by the Siena College Research Institute commissioned by the New York State Building Trades, 77% of New Yorkers believe that if a private developer is taking public money to build it, they should pay the workers a fair wage. In 2020, the Governor and the Legislature passed 224-a establishing that when developers benefit from public funds they should meet public responsibilities, including paying prevailing wages to construction workers. The idea was simple: if you take from the people’s pot, you owe something back to the people. That means decent wages, safe job sites, and dignity for the working men and women who put on a hard hat every morning. After all, affordability isn’t just about cutting costs – we also need to make sure working men and women are able to earn a fair wage for their labor.
But the reality has not lived up to the promise.