Housing is the issue that frames everyday life in New York — from rent checks in Brooklyn to single-family purchases upstate. As the 2026 election cycle approaches, candidates for statewide and major city offices are staking out competing visions for how to address affordability, stabilize neighborhoods, speed up development, protect renters and unlock financing. This article reviews the major candidates, what they’re proposing, and what it would mean for New York homebuyers, renters, developers and investors.