These skilled laborers, earning $25 to $35 an hour, up from $20 last year, say they, too, cannot find affordable rentals.

Despite the apartment's size - barely more than 300 square feet - an affordable rent-stabilized rental on East 89th is still considered a plum.

"When we couldn't find an affordable rental," he said, "we bought what was a former grocery store and renovated it to meet our needs."

Several of the facilities offer affordable rentals throughout the year.

But housing advocates say those steps meet only a portion of the state's need, particularly for affordable rentals.

But in areas where affordable rentals are scarce, both compassion and denial seem to be on the upswing.

The company offers affordable short-term rentals in 5,000 locations.

I feel very strongly that vacant commercial units should be converted to affordable rentals.

Her group and others continue to call for more affordable rentals and subsidies.

She found an affordable, year-round rental in a two-apartment 19th-century farmhouse here.