Q&A
Balancing market-rate and affordable housing development
2:02:14
·
3 min
Borough President Reynoso responds to Council Member Brewer's concerns about relying too heavily on market-rate housing to solve affordability issues. They discuss the need for a balanced approach to housing development.
- Reynoso acknowledges the importance of both subsidized affordable housing and market-rate development
- He disagrees with the city's approach to concentrating affordable housing in certain areas
- Reynoso emphasizes the need for comprehensive planning that includes housing, infrastructure, and other city services
- He views the City of Yes proposal as one chapter in a larger book of necessary reforms
Gale A. Brewer
2:02:14
Thank you very much.
2:02:15
I actually have the same position as counsel as I did as Beryl President.
Charles Ny
2:02:20
Mhmm.
Kate Van Tassel
2:02:20
And I
Gale A. Brewer
2:02:20
did support NIH.
2:02:22
However, the challenge for me is this notion, and it was definitely told to me in the de Blasio and the Adams administration which is the market in high density, high income areas will solve all your problems for affordable.
2:02:35
I don't agree with that.
2:02:36
And I think that the problem is that the city, state, or federal government, if we're gonna talk about the market, that the city state and federal government have to come through with some affordable, more affordable housing.
2:02:50
You cannot just have 20% and have a tall building.
2:02:53
And that is what I was told for, like, 8 years.
2:02:56
Gail, I will not put I'll put all my money in the Bronx.
2:02:59
I told that all of my subsidies gonna go to the Bronx.
2:03:03
I want affordable housing.
2:03:04
I want affordable housing.
2:03:06
We got the schools, we got the transportation, and I'm just tired of being told over and over again just market.
Edwin Westley
2:03:12
Right.
Gale A. Brewer
2:03:12
So you have some non as dense when in Brooklyn, you have some dense.
2:03:16
How do you answer that question?
2:03:17
Because I'm all for rezoning.
2:03:19
I've been doing this for a long time.
2:03:20
I got the rezoning.
2:03:21
But why are we doing it if we're not getting to the affordable at the same time?
2:03:26
How do you answer that question in your area?
Antonio Reynoso
2:03:28
For me, it's it's a balance.
2:03:30
Subsidize affordable housing is deeply important, but we also need to like, the market angle of the market value to it is also important.
2:03:37
If we're we we can't do it all.
2:03:39
We can't build through the lots that are available to us by HPD and by the city of New York.
Sade Falebita
2:03:44
I have
Roxanne Delgado
2:03:44
no lots.
Romario Rodriguez
2:03:45
Well, the 4th
Valerie Mason
2:03:45
year old lots.
Antonio Reynoso
2:03:46
Right.
2:03:46
So then so I I just think the the affordable the affordable housing that gets built through MH is is deeply valuable and the subsidy be happening in your community.
2:03:56
I I disagree.
2:03:57
I actually disagree with the city of New York in how they move forward with subsidizing affordable housing in the city.
2:04:04
Because it's actually neighborhoods in Manhattan or parts of Brooklyn that are not building that can actually sustain more students that might be challenged or have poverty being a foundational piece of their upbringing.
2:04:16
They need to go to better schools, and those better schools are in places that don't build housing.
2:04:19
They have better parts, better transportation systems.
2:04:22
So I actually think that when it comes to the subsidy of affordable housing, that the city should be diversifying its work and not putting all of its money in the South Bronx or in in parts of
Gale A. Brewer
2:04:32
mister Martin.
2:04:33
Say that in your testimony, and I would hope that in the future you would say that?
Antonio Reynoso
2:04:37
I the thing is I think this is because this is not comprehensive.
2:04:40
I think the challenge that you guys have right now is that you're trying to cram everything into this one proposal.
2:04:46
I see this proposal as a chapter of a larger book.
Clayton Sanford
2:04:48
I know what you think.
Kevin C. Riley
2:04:49
Unfortunately I was
Antonio Reynoso
2:04:51
gonna say, unfortunately, I just don't think the city wants to write the book.
2:04:54
This mayor is not gonna write a book, but this chapter is still valuable, and it's still important.
2:04:58
And I hope that our future leaders and you guys can help finish that book, which includes affordable housing, infrastructure, parks, transportation, schools, all those things that are important, but we don't do comprehensive planning.
2:05:10
We are all working as individuals instead of working as a whole.
2:05:14
And this mayor has a good plan here, but doesn't do comprehensive work, unfortunately.
