Q&A
Council Member Cabán questions Astoria Park Warehouse representatives about parking and affordable housing
0:24:09
·
3 min
Council Member Tiffany Cabán engages in a Q&A session with representatives of the Astoria Park Warehouse project, focusing on parking spaces, affordable housing units, and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) options. The discussion covers potential reductions in parking spaces, requests for additional three-bedroom affordable units, and commitments to MIH options for both homeownership and potential rental scenarios.
- Cabán inquires about reducing parking spaces in light of the area's transit options and potential zoning changes
- Questions are raised about meeting Community Board requests for additional three-bedroom affordable units
- Discussion of MIH options and securing commitments for both homeownership and potential rental scenarios
Tiffany Cabán
0:24:09
a couple of questions for you.
0:24:10
I'm going to follow-up on chair Riley's question around the parking spaces.
0:24:14
I've said many times how I feel about the parking space.
0:24:17
You you actually, in your presentation, talked about how transit rich the area is and between, you know, the the walk to the NW train, but also the express bus on 21st Street, those couple of cross town buses.
0:24:32
And in addition to that, it's very close to the ferry, which is a very quick commute to into Manhattan.
0:24:41
So I you know, he asked about what was required, lowering down to 34, but should the zoning for housing opportunity pass and remove those parking minimums, how are y'all thinking about the the change to the inclusion of of parking in that number?
Jaclyn Scarinci
0:24:57
Yeah.
0:24:58
I know the owner unfortunately couldn't be here today, but he he's very actively looking at reducing the parking even further should city Great.
0:25:08
Yes.
0:25:08
Go through.
0:25:09
I think just at this point not knowing if it's required or not, and then also just kind of allowing some flexibility for market conditions because it it will be a homeownership, and some some homeowners may want to have the option of a parking space.
0:25:26
Yeah.
Tiffany Cabán
0:25:28
Yeah.
0:25:28
And I do think the only pushback I'll have on that is that I would assume that in a lot of these for home ownership opportunities parking is important because it increases the value of your property.
0:25:38
But in an NIH home ownership option, you can only resell at a certain degree of of of profit.
0:25:44
And so it kind of takes away sort of that incentive.
0:25:46
So I just want to note that.
0:25:48
But I I know that you you had the number of apartments sort of listed the breakdowns, and I I saw the numbers there, but I'm just curious because I don't remember what the community board requested.
0:25:58
I know that they made a request for a minimum of of 3 bedroom NIH units.
0:26:02
And so my question to y'all is, are you able to meet that request that they made?
Jaclyn Scarinci
0:26:10
So we are providing I think Oh, no.
Tiffany Cabán
0:26:13
I'm probably just trying to get your attention.
0:26:15
Sorry.
Jaclyn Scarinci
0:26:25
Yes.
0:26:27
So no.
0:26:28
I know I didn't I believe the Community Board asked for one additional three bedroom.
0:26:32
Okay.
0:26:32
Unit, and so I think that is something that we're still looking into at this time.
Tiffany Cabán
0:26:37
Okay.
0:26:38
And then I I just have one more question.
0:26:40
I'm gonna be really honest with you.
0:26:42
I didn't know a lot about the NIH homeownership program.
0:26:48
And so, like, hats off to the the land use division of the the council who, like, sat me down and schooled me.
0:26:54
And so I know that you're proposing to map MIH option 1 and 2 here, and and, usually, I don't like to see option to map because it doesn't effectively reach Mhmm.
0:27:05
Need levels of affordability.
0:27:07
But based on what I have learned and now understand about the the home ownership MIH program, I I understand that option 2 is more compatible with a home ownership project.
0:27:17
So we're prepared to map that option here.
0:27:19
But If this at some point, should this building be a rental building?
0:27:24
I wanna make sure that it is developed under NIH option 1.
0:27:27
So are you prepared to develop the potential rental pursuant to NIH option 1?
0:27:32
Should that happen?
Jaclyn Scarinci
0:27:35
Yes.
0:27:37
The applicant is prepared to commit to doing option 1 of this work to be a rental project.
Tiffany Cabán
0:27:44
Great.
0:27:44
Thank you.
0:27:45
Thank you, Chia.