PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Diah Mehera, Director of Marketing and Communications at Tech: NYC
3:10:29
·
124 sec
Diah Mehera, representing Tech: NYC, advocated for the City of Yes proposal to address New York City's housing crisis. She emphasized how the housing shortage affects the tech industry's ability to attract and retain talent, and argued that increasing housing supply would benefit various professions and drive economic growth.
- Highlighted findings from a Tech NYC and Street Easy report on housing availability in New York
- Supported two key solutions from the City of Yes proposal: increasing housing near public transit and removing off-street parking requirements
- Urged the council to approve the proposal, stating that maintaining the status quo is no longer viable
Diah Mehera
3:10:29
Good afternoon, Chair, Riley And Council Members.
3:10:32
My name is Diana Mehera.
3:10:33
I'm the Director of Marketing And Communications at Tech NYC, a leading technology industry organization.
3:10:40
The housing crisis in New York is a serious concern.
3:10:43
Earlier this year, tech NYC And Street Easy released a report on housing availability in New York, and the findings were ominous.
3:10:51
The tech center, the tech sector, a major driver of our city's economy, is struggling to attract and retain talent because of the exorbitant housing costs.
3:11:01
Young professionals are being forced to relocate to another city or forgo living in New York City altogether.
3:11:08
That is not the future we want.
3:11:11
We want a strong pipeline of diverse talent to be able to afford to live and remain here to continue to drive economic growth.
3:11:20
But this is a city wide crisis, not just a tech crisis.
3:11:23
And the city of Yale's proposal offers a solution, increase the supply of housing, particularly mixed income housing to create a more inclusive city that benefits all its residents.
3:11:36
This will benefit not only the tax sector, but also teachers, nurses, firefighters, sanitation workers, and the countless others who keep our city running.
3:11:47
Tech NYC recently coauthored an audit with council member, on the need for more housing, giving our support to 2 solutions proposed by City of Yes.
3:11:58
1, enacting reforms to allow modest increases in housing near public transit, which could create more than 1,100,000 new homes.
3:12:07
And ease commutes for workers.
3:12:09
2, remove off street parking requirements for new apartment buildings, which will reduce the cost of building new apartments and decrease rents.
3:12:19
Maintaining the status quo is no longer viable.
3:12:23
The city of Yes represents a decisive move to keep New York's promise of opportunity alive for everyone.
3:12:30
Thank you.
3:12:31
I urge you to approve this critical proposal.
