New York, NY —

A Brooklyn Assemblyman says he's identified about 65 condo developments that appear to be failing. Hakeem Jeffries has been floating a plan to try to turn empty or near empty condos into housing for low- and middle-income New Yorkers. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: While Jeffries hasn't done a financial analysis of each building, he says if the condos haven't sold yet, they likely won't sell given the current economic climate. He gives the example of a luxury development called the Isabella:

JEFFRIES: Which markets itself as living magnificently, live Isabella it's on Washington Avenue in the Clinton Hill section of the community and the apartments are collecting dust.

REPORTER: A year ago, a three bedroom at the Isabella was going for close to a million dollars. Today, the sales office says condo sales have been put on hold. Jeffries acknowledges that lenders would have to dramatically reduce the size of loans for his affordable housing plan to work.

For WNYC, I'm Cindy Rodriguez