PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Emily Kurtz, Chief Housing and Development Officer of RiseBoro Community Partnership
0:46:32
·
122 sec
Emily Kurtz, representing RiseBoro Community Partnership, speaks in support of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning text amendment. She argues that this amendment is crucial for addressing New York City's housing crisis by allowing more efficient and scalable affordable housing development.
- Kurtz highlights RiseBoro's track record in developing affordable housing, contrasting it with the minimal housing production in low-density, single-family districts.
- She emphasizes that the housing crisis must be addressed in every neighborhood, pointing out that low-density districts cover 2/3 of the city's land but contributed only 9% of housing starts since 2010.
- Kurtz argues that the current zoning code restrains housing production and supply, which the City of Yes amendment aims to address.
Emily Kurtz
0:46:32
Good morning.
0:46:33
My name is Emily Kurtz, and I am the chief housing and development officer at RISEborough Community Partners a community based organization in providing services to and building and preserving affordable housing in neighborhoods across New York City.
0:46:47
I am speaking in support of the city of Jasper Housing Opportunity's zoning tax amendment, one of several critical ingredients needed to address the housing crisis in New York City.
0:46:58
Predictably, I am in support of a text amendment with provisions that will lead to more efficient and scalable sites for the creation of affordable housing, such as UAP.
0:47:08
Creating affordable housing is a core mission of RISEboro, and demand will always be high in the New York City market.
0:47:15
But as much housing as RISEboro and our partners across the affordable housing industry create, we cannot address the affordability crisis on our own.
0:47:26
The extraordinary weight of the housing crisis must be addressed in every neighborhood in of this city.
0:47:33
Starting in the late 19 eighties, Rizarro has been responsible for the development and preservation of over 3000 units of affordable rental housing.
0:47:40
25100 of those units constructed are preserved since 2010.
0:47:44
In that same time period, low density, single family districts, added only 700 net units of housing to New York's housing stock.
0:47:53
As skilled and prolific as RISEboro is at developing housing, we should not be outbuilding the entirety of the single family districts in New York.
0:48:03
Low density districts currently cover 2 thirds of the city's land mass, yet contributed only 9% of the overall housing starts since 2010.
0:48:11
Meanwhile, I am sure many of you hear from your constituents that the cost of housing in your districts is unbearably high.
0:48:17
Long time members of your districts are leaving New York City for neighboring communities that are adding units through development, allowing for a more affordable housing market in those areas.
0:48:27
Housing production and supply are restrained by the current zoning code, and the city of yes for housing amendment aims to address that.
0:48:33
Thank you.
