PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eric Shiner, President of Powerhouse Arts
3:06:40
·
123 sec
Eric Shiner, President of Powerhouse Arts, expresses strong support for the City of Yes Housing Initiative, emphasizing its importance in addressing the displacement of artists in New York City due to rising housing costs. He highlights the cultural and economic significance of artists to the city and discusses how the initiative could benefit cultural organizations like Powerhouse Arts.
- Powerhouse Arts is witnessing artist displacement firsthand in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
- The City of Yes initiative is seen as a critical step in making housing more accessible to all New Yorkers.
- Shiner notes that proposed changes could help nonprofits like Powerhouse Arts by creating more opportunities to transfer excess development rights.
Eric Shiner
3:06:40
Good afternoon.
3:06:41
I'm Eric Scheiner, the president of Powerhouse Arts, a brand new cultural nonprofit located in Guajones, Brooklyn dedicated to supporting artists in production, education, and community engagement.
3:06:54
Today, we express our strong support for the city of Yes Housing Initiative and highlight the urgent need for affordable housing solutions to prevent the ongoing displacement of artists across New York City.
3:07:09
As one of the world's great cultural capitals, New York thrives on the creative and energy of its artists.
3:07:16
These artists and cultural workers are essential not only to the city's identity, but to its economy.
3:07:24
New York's cultural sector generates more than a $110,000,000,000 annually, filling industries such as tourism education and hospitality.
3:07:34
Yet, the soaring cost of living, especially housing, has made it increasingly difficult for the very people who enrich our city's cultural fabric to actually afford to live here.
3:07:46
PowerHouse Arts situated in Goannis is witnessing this displacement of artist first hand.
3:07:52
Goannis is a neighborhood known for its rich artistic history and is undergoing rapid change.
3:07:59
Without proactive measures, the artists who have long called this area home will be priced out along with the cultural legacy they've built.
3:08:06
The city of yes initiative is a critical step towards addressing this crisis.
3:08:11
By updating outdated zoning laws, reducing barriers to new housing construction, and promoting denser transit oriented developments, the initiative will help make housing more accessible to all New Yorkers.
3:08:24
Lastly, powerhouse is a steward of a New York City landmark.
3:08:29
The proposed changes to the city of yes will create more opportunities and lower obstacles to transferring excess development rights and is a nonprofit, this flexibility will help us immensely.
3:08:41
Thank you.
