Q&A
Council Member Joseph's concerns about high AMI levels for vacant units
0:25:53
·
3 min
Council Member Rita Joseph expresses strong concerns about the 75% AMI level set for vacant units, arguing it doesn't reflect the neighborhood's needs. MHANY Management representatives explain their reasoning and express openness to adjusting the AMI levels.
- Joseph emphasizes the current affordability crisis in the city and the need for AMI levels to reflect local neighborhood conditions
- MHANY explains the high AMI was set due to extensive renovation needs and to avoid rent-burdening existing tenants
- Both parties agree to have further discussions to address the AMI concerns and explore options like preferential rents
Rita Joseph
0:25:53
And you said the renovations will I know it's a vacant.
0:25:55
I've seen it.
0:25:56
I've seen my district.
0:25:57
I've I'm familiar with the property.
0:25:59
When I first got in, I kept on asking who owns it.
0:26:01
Nobody could tell me.
0:26:02
They said there was an owner, but nobody nowhere.
0:26:06
In terms of affordability, we talked about that, and that should be what what are the AMIs for that?
Nick Simmons
0:26:10
So those are all vacant.
0:26:13
So we're setting all of the vacant ones at 75 percent AMI.
Rita Joseph
0:26:17
Why so high?
0:26:18
If the median income in Flatbush where there is is on Montense between Flatbush and Bedford.
Nick Simmons
0:26:23
Understood.
0:26:24
And I yes.
0:26:25
We agree.
0:26:26
I don't believe that AMIs really reflect the neighborhood.
0:26:29
All of our buildings and all of our neighborhoods that we feel the same way.
0:26:34
However, the the project, you know, the amount of work that is needed sorry.
0:26:39
The amount of work that is needed is a lot throughout the cluster.
0:26:43
So what we wanted to do is we we didn't for the residents that were in place.
0:26:47
That's why we wanted to leave those at 40% AMI as well as we could we could try to make sure that we're not making them rent burden.
0:26:54
And then to, you know, since these are vacant units, we figured that it might be easier to, you know, fill them with new residents that, you know, could afford them.
0:27:03
And that's
Rita Joseph
0:27:03
That doesn't come from the neighborhood.
0:27:05
If we're really talking about affordability, which is what we're facing right now in this city, it's an affordability crisis.
0:27:12
We need to look at the AMI.
0:27:14
And that that part of the neighborhood, that AMI does not reflect that part of the neighborhood.
0:27:18
So I'm gonna advocate on my on behalf of my constituent always to make sure it reflects the needs of the community if we wanna make sure we're not displacing anyone and we wanna keep folks here.
0:27:28
We have to offer them you don't wanna rent burden, but we also wanna make sure neighbors stay in the communities as well.
0:27:36
If we're offering it to the community, it should go to community boards.
0:27:39
Right?
0:27:40
So let me know if that's something we need to have a side conversation, I'm open for that.
0:27:44
But 75 AMI is outrageous.
Nick Simmons
0:27:46
Okay.
0:27:46
No.
0:27:47
I understood.
0:27:48
We I think we talked to our executive director that wasn't able to make today.
0:27:52
It just had emergency.
0:27:54
We are open, you know, to suggestions in regards to the setting with the AMIs.
0:28:02
We for our portfolio of buildings, we also do have preferential rents for some tenants or for cases like this where we we're not trying to rent burden them, or we can't fill the re units because if the neighborhood doesn't aren't at that AMI like you'd mentioned.
0:28:18
So, yes, we we would love to
Rita Joseph
0:28:20
Definitely have a side conversation on that.
0:28:22
Thank you.
0:28:23
Because affordability right now is that's what all New Yorkers are faced across the board.
0:28:27
Okay.
0:28:27
And we don't want none of our our residents to be displaced, and we're seeing more and more.
0:28:32
And and as you may know, more and more families are entering shelters, and I was an educator.
0:28:36
So most of my kids A 114,000 kids of our in the New York City public schools live in shelters.
0:28:42
And that's opening a door for a family to enter.
0:28:45
So we really need to look at how we address neighborhoods, not if we can't do a cookie.
0:28:51
A cookie cutter model for a whole neighborhood.
0:28:54
It has to meet the needs of the neighborhood where they are.
0:28:56
So thank you, and I look forward to working with you.