Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine in his annual State of the Borough address said he is focusing on improvements to infrastructure of all kinds, access to public restrooms, building green space and housing affordability.

He joined "Mornings On 1" Monday to further discuss the topics he outlined in his speech at Hunter College Sunday, noting that housing has become his No. 1 priority.

"Average rents in Manhattan are now over $5,000 per month," he said. "This is pricing out not just low-income people -- and it is devastating for low-income people, it's driving our homelessness crisis -- but for a doctor or nurse, I mean even their salaries are not enough to cover some of these rents."

Levine said he and his team are working to press for more housing construction but will need to rely on assistance from Albany to accomplish any real progress.

"I don't think people realize the extent to which our fate is in the hands of the state government. They write the property tax code, they write the rent laws, they even have a cap on how big we can build apartment buildings in Manhattan. And between now and the state budget being due on April 1, we have a window now to do something really big to get a package of reforms in there that will protect tenants, that will jump-start housing, and we're pushing for that," he said.

Levine also addressed initiatives at the municipal level, noting the city planning departments' proposal to adjust zoning regulations under the banner of "City of Yes for Housing Affordability."

"It would add a little more housing in every neighborhood, mostly affordable units, that could mean tens of thousands of homes in Manhattan," he said of the proposal.

Noting that there "will be fights" over affordable housing, Levine said they would be necessary battles as the city continues to grapple with skyrocketing rents.

"We can no longer ignore this: We have a housing affordability crisis in Manhattan in New York City," Levine said.