After Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Tuesday to set aside $650 million in discretionary funds to spur the creation of affordable housing units throughout the state, local lawmakers are optimistic the new proposals could spur more development.  Hochul, a Democrat, in her state of the state address in January announced a major housing proposal to build 800,000 units of affordable housing within 10 years. After much debate with legislative leaders in their budget negotiations and end-of-session conversations, the proposal ultimately went nowhere and state lawmakers left in June without taking up the issue of affordable housing.  Following the…