NYC is just about as bad at housing as the Bay Area is, but the problem hasn't gone on for as many decades so you haven't noticed yet. NYC population is actually shrinking for this reason, and there are several silly rules (not by modern progressives) like high IZ for "affordability" that prevent all construction, and I think they're about to essentially ban new hotels.

Btw, the reason progressives didn't take over before is that Cuomo was actually conspiring to make his own party the minority in the legislature, because he thought if he was forced to ever actually do anything it'd hurt a future presidential run.