Houses in the Southern Tier community of Hornell are seen May 2, 2023.

It’s not news that the state and the nation are facing a housing crisis — a crisis of affordability, of supply and of labor. Rural areas are not spared from this crisis; in fact, it’s exacerbated in rural communities by the lack of organizational capacity, infrastructure and funding to build affordable housing. Yet New York lacks a comprehensive plan to address the housing needs of rural communities — and that could leave rural New Yorkers out in the cold.

State government defines rural communities as those with a population of 25,000 or less. According to the 2020 census, 924 of the state’s 1,023 communities – or 90% of all New York towns, cities, villages, etc. — have populations of 25,000 or less. In 46 of the state’s 62 counties, a majority of the population lives in communities of 25,000 or less.

The variety of initiatives that state policymakers have proposed to address the housing crisis focus........

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