Mayor Bill de Blasio toured a rehabilitation project in Harlem Monday as part of his affordable housing plan.
The building is part of a $70 million effort to renovate 358 apartments in 28 different buildings.
About one-third of those units would be set aside for the formerly homeless.
De Blasio talked about two pieces of legislation currently in front of the city council. One makes it mandatory for developers to build a certain percentage of housing in rezoned areas. The other calls for more housing for seniors.
"This is going to be a watershed moment. I've said it and I believe it," de Blasio said. People are going to look back at March 2016 and realize it was a decisive moment because it will be the time, with the help of the City Council, this city will say that we must ensure a affordable city going forward and we must require developers to create affordable housing."
Both pieces of legislation are expected to be voted on next week.