TESTIMONY
Preeti Sodhi, Senior Director of Community and Government Relations at Friends of the High Line, on the High Line's Economic Impact and Need for Equitable Park Funding
6:19:40
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166 sec
Preeti Sodhi highlights the significant economic impact of the High Line park, generating $114 million annually for New York's economy, despite receiving no annual operating support from the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.
- The High Line relies almost entirely on community support to raise its operating budget.
- About half of the High Line's 6 million annual visitors are New Yorkers, with many considering it their local park.
- Sodhi emphasizes the High Line's role as a critical community resource for programming, arts, education, and mental health.
- She calls on the city to follow through on Mayor Adams' commitment to allocate 1% of the budget to parks.
- Sodhi urges reexamining funding relationships to ensure sustainable baseline funding for all public green spaces.
Preeti Sodhi
6:19:40
Good afternoon, everyone.
6:19:42
My name is Priti Soady, and I'm the senior director of community and government relations with friends of the high line, the nonprofit organization responsible for the high for the high lines maintenance and operations.
6:19:55
To begin, several thank yous are in order to the city council of Finance And Parks committees.
6:20:01
Thank you for holding this hearing.
6:20:03
To the New York City Department of Parks And Recreation for their partnership in operating the High Line, and for very recently, for going above and beyond in response to the new US House of Representatives Community Project Funding Guidelines.
6:20:18
Also thank you to the many individuals and organizations who support us.
6:20:23
I'd also like to thank our team staff, particularly those sitting next to me, as participants in the high aligned teen employment program civic engagement pathway.
6:20:34
They represent some of the most inquisitive and engaged members of our local community.
6:20:39
Today, we remain uniquely reliant upon this community because unlike many other New York City parks, we are responsible for raising nearly 100% of our operating budget.
6:20:52
The Parks department cannot provide us with any annual operating support despite our parks enormous economic impact.
6:21:00
The high line produces $64,000,000 in annual tax revenue and visitation spurs $50,000,000 in local spending, bringing $114,000,000 into New York's economy every year.
6:21:14
This is over five times our operating budget, a significant return on investment, particularly for public amenity.
6:21:23
And these numbers are far from the full story.
6:21:26
Our deepest impact is felt locally, and our greatest responsibility is to the people who rely on the high line of screen space, to access world class art installations, and for connections to educational and work opportunities, and more.
6:21:41
About half of our 6,000,000 annual visitors are from New York City, and nearly 20% of visitors claim the high line as their local park.
6:21:49
Each year over 10,000 New Yorkers participate in our culturally relevant community informed programming.
6:21:55
As measurements of loning loneliness climb, the mental health crisis continues, and third spaces disappear.
6:22:01
It is critical that the high line in all city parks receive added quit funding so that they can remain community resources.
6:22:08
Finally, we call on the city to follow through on Mara Adams' unrealized commitment to allocate 1% of the city's budgets to parks and to reexamine existing relationships with the organizations such as the high line to ensure that all public green spaces receive sustaining baseline funding.
6:22:25
Thank you.