PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Elizabeth Denys, Board Member of Open New York
7:36:23
·
125 sec
Elizabeth Denys, a 13-year New York City resident and board member of Open New York, testifies in support of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. She expresses concern about rising rents in Flatbush and emphasizes the need for more affordable housing options throughout the city.
- Denys strongly supports all aspects of the proposal, particularly transit-oriented development in Flatbush.
- She argues that the proposed 3-5 story apartment buildings are contextually appropriate for her neighborhood.
- Denys criticizes the 2009 Flatbush rezoning as insufficient and emphasizes the worsening housing crisis since then.
Elizabeth Denys
7:36:23
Hello.
7:36:24
My name is Elizabeth Denny's, and I'm a 13 year New York City resident and a board member of Open New York, a grassroots pro housing organization.
7:36:30
I'm here today because I'm worried my family, friends, and neighbors, We'll be forced to leave our neighborhood of Flatbush or even the city due to skyrocketing rents.
7:36:37
We need to build enough housing to ensure everyone has a home they can afford.
7:36:41
In Flatbush, we've seen some construction in the less white parts of the neighborhood.
7:36:45
While wider areas aren't building as many new homes, and there aren't nearly enough to meet demand.
7:36:50
I strongly support all of the proposals in City of Yes for housing opportunity because they will make it some morning Yorkers throughout the city, can find affordable housing options in their own neighborhoods.
7:36:59
Transit oriented development will bring my neighborhood of Flatbush modest 3 to 5 storey apartment buildings sitting next to 3 storey 1 and 2 family homes.
7:37:06
I'm a homeowner in the area who thinks these new apartment buildings are more than contextually appropriate.
7:37:11
Many decades old apartment buildings already make up a significant share of the homes in Victorian Flatbush.
7:37:16
Buildings like 1409, Fall Albemaro, 405 Westminster, 1710 Avenue h, and too many for this 2 minutes.
7:37:23
Most six to story sorry.
7:37:25
Most six to seven story apartment buildings like these can't be built under today's zoning code.
7:37:30
City of yes isn't even proposing buildings that tall.
7:37:32
But it still ensures that additional more affordable homes can be built in practical, transit cent connected locations.
7:37:38
These homes will help those most at risk of being displaced from my neighborhood in the city.
7:37:42
Some of my neighbors mostly homeowners like me who already have stable housing will point to the 2009 Flatbush rezoning is sufficient.
7:37:50
That rezoning was never about creating opportunity for housing, and you don't have to take my word for it.
7:37:54
I will quote the person who started the push for the rezoning.
7:37:57
A six story building was going up with inside of my backyard, so I decided I wanted to do something about it.
7:38:02
So I started a whole process of down zoning in the area.
7:38:05
15 years later, our housing crisis has only gotten more dire.
7:38:08
Half of my neighbor pay over 30% of their income towards housing, and 30% of my neighbors are still paying over half of their HX towards rent.
7:38:16
CWS would finally allow us to start building more homes equitably within our area.
7:38:21
That's why I hope all council members will do their part to create homes everywhere by supporting all of the proposals in city of yes.
