Expanding housing by 800,000 units over the next 10 years in New York has been a keystone plank in Gov. Kathy Hochul's $227 billion spending proposal. 

But as she travels the state to tout the measure, Republicans have opposed the measures as an overreach in suburban communities. Democrats, meanwhile, want to go even further than Hochul's plans. 

Hochul's proposals — a mix of carrots and sticks that include money for infrastructure as well as a fast-track plan for qualified projects at the state level over local objections — is meant to drive down skyrocketing costs and boost supply. 

She has sought to highlight the backing the proposal has received from local officials in New York. On Tuesday, her office pointed to the support she's gotten from officials in the Syracuse area. 

"I am very hopeful and excited that Gov. Hochul, is pushing forward with her housing initiative," said Helen Hudson, the common council president in Syracuse. "It is far past time that we take a look at the substandard housing across New York state."

But at the state Capitol, the reviews are different. 

Republican Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh lives in one of the fastest growing areas of New York state in southern Saratoga County — housing built in recent years she says has been based largely on private investment. 

"It might not be happening at the pace the governor wants to see," Walsh said. "OK, that's a conversation we need to have. But that's not a reason to override local zoning. I think that's a big mistake."

Walsh pointed to housing construction in her district that has local support and private investment. 

"The idea that local zoning gets taken away— that's trouble," Walsh said. "That's troubling no matter where you're coming from." 

Hochul is also providing incentives, including millions of dollars to expand water and sewer. Republican Assemblyman Ed Ra says that might not be enough. 

"How do you do that level of density without sewers?" said Assemblyman Ed Ra. "It's basically impossible. So, I think a lot more infrastructure funding than the 2 million pot that's proposed would help."

Some Democratic lawmakers like state Sen. Brian Kavanagh want a housing plan in the budget to go further, including for people who are struggling to pay their rent. 

Kavanagh was among the lawmakers on Tuesday who appeared at a rally with the New York Council of Churches to largely support the goals of the housing program, but also go further. 

"We know that the crises that were only excerbated by COVID have been with us far before that pandemic," Kavanagh said. "The crisis of eviction, the crisis of homelessness, the crisis of rent poverty because people can't afford their homes."

Lawmakers have proposed millions of dollars in emergency rental assistance to help stave off evictions. Some like Assemblyman Harvey Epstein are also backing a measure that would make it harder for landlords to raise rents or evict tenants without cause. 

The measure, known as Good Cause Eviction, still faces an uncertain path forward in the Legislature. 

"We hear from tenants all the time," Epstein said. "They're seeing 40, 50, 60% rent increases. No one can afford, no one can budget for a rent increase like that."