ALBANY - Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says his chamber's upcoming budget proposal would fund affordable housing and create better incentives for developers to build below-market rate housing.

Silver says the Assembly budget would restore millions of dollars to programs that help community-based organizations preserve and restore housing in depressed areas.

It would also restore aid to a New York City Housing Authority tenant patrol program.

The Assembly proposal supports Gov. Eliot Spitzer's $400 million commitment to housing construction, but their plan would dedicate more funds to the issue.

The complete Assembly budget proposal is expected to be released Monday.