Assembly Democrats will not vote to expel Republican Lester Chang over residency issues "at this time," Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said in a statement Friday.

"After careful review, the vast majority of our members have significant concerns about the truthfulness of Mr. Chang's documentary evidence and testimony regarding his compliance with the New York State Constitution," said Heastie, citing "unrefuted evidence related to Mr. Chang's Manhattan rent-regulated apartment and the government subsidies he accessed."

"Although it is clear that there were more than enough votes to expel Mr. Chang, we will not do so at this time," Heastie added.

Heastie said the Assembly will pass along the results and materials gathered in their investigation to unspecified criminal, civil and administrative authorities. The Assembly is expected to refer the matter to state Attorney General Letitia James' office to investigate the discrepancies over Chang's address and whether he fraudulently held onto his Manhattan residence, sources told NY1.

“I am thrilled to be representing the people of the 49th Assembly District in the State Assembly, and I thank my fellow Assembly Members in Albany for their good wishes and counsel during my first days on the job," Chang said in a statement, rattling off a list of policy priorities including crime, cost of living, and "merit-based public school opportunities." 

“I thank my Brooklyn neighbors, and all my Assembly teammates, for their faith in my abilities. It will be an honor serving them for the next two years,”  Chang added.

Chang won the election to represent the 49th Assembly District in Brooklyn, which includes parts of Sunset Park, Bensonhurst, Borough Park and Dyker Heights. But questions were raised after the November election about whether he met the residency requirement to serve.

 “I am pleased that Lester Chang has taken his rightful place as the Assemblyman representing the 49th District," Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, a Syracuse-area Republican, said in a statement. "Any attempt to expel Mr. Chang from the Assembly and unilaterally deny the will of the voters in Brooklyn would set a terrible precedent. The issue of electoral residency is a matter to be dealt with during the designating petitioning process, not after the votes have been counted.”

An Assembly judiciary committee investigation found that Chang may have used a government subsidy to pay rent on his rent-stabilized apartment in Manhattan last year. By law, Chang needs to have lived in Brooklyn for a full year prior to the election to meet the residency requirement. Chang claims he moved back into his Brooklyn childhood home to care for his ailing mother.

As the certified winner of the election, the Assembly decided not to unilaterally overrule voters and opted to seat him earlier this week.

The state constitution, Heastie said, would allow the Assembly to revisit Chang's case at any time.

"Let this be a warning to anyone who tries to dupe voters - the political manipulation of residency will not go unchecked," Heastie said.