Bill de Blasio Agrees With NYC Millennials: the Rent is Too Damn High

For a brief refresher on New York City rent being "too damn high," watch this video.

And Bill de Blasio seems to agree. From Battery Park to Bushwick, Williamsburg to Whitestone, New York City is facing a widespread affordable housing shortage, and mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio thinks this is the biggest issue facing the Big Apple’s millennials today.

“What I hear the most from millennials is the challenge of finding affordable housing,” de Blasio told PolicyMic Thursday at a campaign stop in Harlem.

Affordable housing in New York City is an issue that affects a broad cross-section of residents. The candidate notes on his website that, “Almost half of all New Yorkers spend more than 30% of their income on housing, and one third of households spend at least half on housing.”

De Blasio’s commitment to securing more affordable housing for the city is a critical element of his campaign narrative. He has stressed that New York is living “a Tale Of Two Cities,” one where the wealthiest residents “enjoy a life of luxury,” while other families struggle to pay rent and put food on the table.

The candidate then emphasized his campaign promise to create 200,000 affordable housing units over the next ten years.

“I think if we don’t fundamentally change our approach to affordable housing and produce it on a much greater level, many people of many different backgrounds are going to be forced out of the city, which is something that I find unacceptable,” de Blasio concluded.