Q&A
Council Member Hanif asks about neighborhood character and affordable housing locations
5:57:03
·
121 sec
Council Member Shahana Hanif initiates a Q&A session, asking panel members to describe what neighborhood character means to them and where they think affordable housing should be built. The discussion touches on vacant lots, abandoned properties, and the importance of preserving unique neighborhood characteristics while addressing affordability concerns.
- Panel members suggest utilizing vacant lots and abandoned properties for affordable housing
- Concerns are raised about the impact of neighborhood changes on existing residents
- The discussion highlights the tension between preserving neighborhood character and creating affordable housing
Shahana Hanif
5:57:03
Thank you, Chair Riley.
5:57:06
I have a question perhaps to the gentleman.
5:57:09
Could you describe what neighborhood character means to you.
5:57:14
And then your points on the need for more affordability, which I think came across the entire panel is is well received, heard, loud, and clear.
5:57:25
Thank you.
5:57:26
Where do you think this affordable housing gets built?
Jack Bolembach
5:57:29
Well, there are a lot of vacant land in New York City.
5:57:32
There are.
5:57:32
And there's a lot of and I'm talking about Parkland or preservationland.
5:57:36
I'm talking about actually lots that have just been abandoned.
5:57:39
There are homes that you see boarded up.
5:57:43
We can you should jump in on those areas.
5:57:46
Target Target those areas.
5:57:48
It would create jobs.
5:57:49
It will create affordable housing.
5:57:51
Not something that a develop is gonna build that we're making a lot of money couldn't care less like about this lady down down here.
5:57:57
This is this is horrible hearing us.
5:58:00
So I think character in neighbor is who is people moved into neighborhoods.
5:58:05
They they invested a lot of their money, their time, and they enjoy living where they're living.
5:58:11
If the if the neighborhood changes, if your neighborhood changes and you get you get you get people in there that's gonna be criminals or whatever, people are gonna move away.
5:58:21
You gotta think about this very carefully what you're gonna do.
5:58:24
You're gonna have what they call flop houses.
5:58:26
That's why they came up with zoning.
5:58:28
So character and neighborhood is like, you know, the different different neighborhoods.
5:58:32
Each neighborhood in the city is is unique.
5:58:34
All the barrels are unique.
5:58:36
So what you want to do is preserve that, but we need affordability.
5:58:40
And I would look at all the areas that we can build places, empty lots of abandoned houses, and and something I know.
5:58:47
I I don't know if I should say this here.
5:58:48
One more quick thing.
5:58:50
We have rent stabilization, which is good.
5:58:53
People need that to help help afford houses, but I know millionaires who are living in rent stabilized apartments with doorman and and think there were 2 or 3,000,000, and and they get
