As American As Affordable Housing

Because only a real meanie would advocate for unaffordable housing:

In the first half of 2015, real-estate developers and firms gave about $800,000 to the Campaign for One New York, a nonprofit advocacy group run by de Blasio allies — an amount more than any other industry has contributed and much more than they gave in 2014, according to disclosure reports.

The 2015 period coincides with Mr. de Blasio’s work in Albany with the Real Estate Board of New York, an industry group, to get state lawmakers to renew — with some changes — a city subsidy for developers known as 421-a.

Over the same months, the Campaign for One New York spent about $700,000 on political consultants, national travel and research as the mayor worked to bolster his progressive agenda — and profile.

[. . .]

The mayor’s advisers said people are giving to the group because they support Mr. de Blasio’s positions on issues like affordable housing and prekindergarten. They emphasized the group is limited to issues advocacy and can’t directly support a re-election bid by Mr. de Blasio.

[. . .]

At least some entities contributed to the Campaign for One New York as they also paid representatives to lobby City Hall, a practice that is legal but also has been criticized by [representatives of New York Public Interest Research Group] and others. Toll Brothers spent $32,000 to lobby City Hall, but also gave $25,000 to the Campaign for One New York. In a statement, a spokesman said the firm gave because it supported affordable housing.