PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Craig Gurian, Executive Director of Anti-Discrimination Center on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
9:24:09
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110 sec
Craig Gurian, Executive Director of the Anti-Discrimination Center, testified in support of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. He warned opponents about the potential consequences of rejecting or watering down the proposal, citing the city's vulnerability to fair housing lawsuits due to its segregated nature.
- Gurian described City of Yes as a modest measure compared to what is needed to address housing affordability and segregation crises.
- He emphasized that rejecting the proposal could heighten the city's vulnerability to lawsuits under the Federal Fair Housing Act and local human rights law.
- Gurian quoted Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, urging city planning to "not back down" and potentially do even more to ensure housing for all New Yorkers.
Craig Gurian
9:24:09
Good evening.
9:24:10
Council member of Breo.
9:24:11
My name is Craig Green.
9:24:13
I'm the executive director of the anti discrimination center.
9:24:17
I've been a civil rights attorney for more than 35 years.
9:24:20
Some of you may even be familiar with a couple of my cases.
9:24:24
I have a message for opponents of city of yes.
9:24:29
A longer version is of this is in a piece that's just been published in Vital City today.
9:24:36
Opponents, be careful what you wish for.
9:24:41
City of YES made the usual, but understandable mistake of compromising in advance.
9:24:48
It is compared to what is needed to solve our twin crises of housing affordability and housing segregation a modest measure.
9:24:58
New York City, one of the most segregated major cities in the country, is already vulnerable to a perpetuation of segregation lawsuit under the Federal Fair Housing Act and our local human rights law because of if zoning and other pro segregation conduct, if city of yes were to be rejected or watered down, that vulnerability will be heightened.
9:25:20
And when a lawsuit is resolved and a remedy determined, it's not a matter of a little housing everywhere.
9:25:28
Addressing decades of disparities would mean focusing on building mixed income housing, especially where it has been resisted.
9:25:37
I'll leave you with Barr president Reynosa's advice to city planning, Do not back down, do not scale back, do not shy away.
9:25:47
If you're going to do anything, do more.
9:25:50
Nothing is more important than ensuring every New Yorker and every family has a place to call home for generations to come.
9:25:58
Thank you.
