PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Gabriel Dougherty from Williamsburg, Brooklyn on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
8:21:14
·
121 sec
Gabriel Dougherty, a resident of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, spoke in favor of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal, specifically supporting the relaxation of the dwelling unit factor. He argued that this change would allow for more flexible housing options, such as single room occupancy units with shared kitchens and bathrooms, providing cheaper and more accessible housing alternatives.
- Shared his personal experience with difficult roommate situations and housing challenges
- Explained how the proposed changes could have benefited him and others in similar situations
- Argued that flexible housing options could relieve pressure on larger apartments needed by families
Gabriel Dougherty
8:21:14
Hi.
8:21:14
My name is Gabriel Daugherty, and I live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
8:21:18
Today, I will be speaking in favor of city of yes for housing opportunity, specifically the provision to relax the dwelling unit factor.
8:21:26
That's more commonly known as, like, the provision that enables single room occupancy units, but I'll refer to it here as, like, the dwelling unit factor thing.
8:21:35
This change to the zoning tax would allow for more flexible housing such as units where you pay for the room but have shared kitchen and bathrooms.
8:21:43
This can provide a cheaper, more accessible option for shared housing.
8:21:47
So to put this in context, 2 years ago, I used to live in a 3 bedroom in Brooklyn with roommates.
8:21:53
That roommate situation quickly turned sour.
8:21:56
It didn't work out, and I had to leave on short notice because I was subletting.
8:22:00
It was too short notice.
8:22:01
For me to find another set of roommates.
8:22:03
So I ended up moving to a studio that I didn't like and I could barely afford.
8:22:09
I've since left that left that studio for a two bedroom with a roommate but it leaves me thinking, had this proposed solution been implemented?
8:22:19
The this proposed relaxation of the dwelling factor would have helped me out.
8:22:23
First, it would have allowed me to find similar housing on short notice with a shared kitchen and bathroom.
8:22:30
Just like I had with the strangers in my three bedroom.
8:22:34
2nd, this flexible kind of housing likely would have been a better option for me in the first place than shacking up with 2 other roommates like I said that I met on the Internet and didn't really know, and this is a common situation nowadays.
8:22:48
Lastly, folks have been talking about building families in New York.
8:22:53
Me living in a three bedroom with roommates as I did then, or a two bedroom with a roommate as I do now puts pressure on the price of these apartments that are so very needed by families.
8:23:02
Flexible housing provides a real alternative that could relieve this pressure.
8:23:06
So in conclusion, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.
8:23:10
And I encourage you to support city of yes for housing opportunity in full.
8:23:14
Thank you.
