Sparring in Albany Over Raising Wages to Build Lower-Cost Housing

A report released last year by a nonprofit policy research group found that imposing prevailing wages on low- or moderate-cost housing projects could increase total development costs by about 25 percent and increase rents in a typical apartment by about $400 a month. The report was prepared by the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, which is made up of housing developers, construction company executives, bankers and academics.