PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Felicia Johnson, District Manager of Queens Community Board 14, on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
12:33:42
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124 sec
Felicia Johnson, representing Queens Community Board 14, testifies against the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. She explains that the Rockaway Peninsula, which her community board covers, already has significant affordable housing development and lacks the infrastructure to support more housing.
- Community Board 14 voted overwhelmingly against the proposal
- The area is ranked 9th out of 10 in the city for existing affordable housing development
- Johnson argues that affordability is not the main issue, but rather the AMIs and warehousing of apartments
- She emphasizes the unique characteristics of the outer boroughs and the Rockaway Peninsula, including its status as a former resort community and current challenges with nursing homes, shelters, and limited healthcare facilities
Felicia Johnson
12:33:42
Good evening.
12:33:43
Thank you for listening to my testimony.
12:33:45
My name is Felicia Johnson, and I'm a recently appointed district manager representing Community Board team in Cool Wings, which encompasses the entire Rockaway Peninsula from breezy point all the way to Bay's water and broad channel.
12:34:01
And Community Board 14 voted overwhelmingly no to the city of the West housing opportunity in the conformed that it is it.
12:34:09
We I am covering an eleven mile sandbar that is ranked number 9 out of 10 in the city for already having developed affordable housing.
12:34:20
Affordability is not the issue.
12:34:22
Is the warehousing and the AMIs that is what's keeping renters from renting apartments.
12:34:29
We're renting apartments that are available and vacant vacant.
12:34:33
We have redevelopment that they're filling up slowly, but they are filling up but I feel that, this peninsula, that the paintbrush cannot be painted the same across the city.
12:34:44
There are reasons why people move to the outer boroughs, and that is to have some space to have land, to have water, to have sea.
12:34:53
This was basically a seaside community.
12:34:55
It was a resort community, and now we have over 5000 nursing home beds, adult home beds, several shelters, and one safety net hospital.
12:35:04
We're still waiting for an evacuation plan So I'm the city for the people we have on this peninsula.
12:35:11
Community Board 14 voted overwhelmingly.
12:35:13
No.
12:35:14
We do not have the infrastructure, and we are still considered a transportation desert.
12:35:19
I asked that the city council take the city of yes proposition as it is, go back and rework it because I know a no just can't be a no, but we're giving you valid read as to why a small eleven mile sandbox peninsula cannot accommodate any more housing.
12:35:38
And the area that the housing would happen will be on the east.
UNKNOWN
12:35:41
Thank you, Tom.
12:35:42
It's expired.
Charles Ny
12:35:43
Let's let's talk to a
Felicia Johnson
12:35:43
new transportation hub.
12:35:45
Thank you so much.
