PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Geoffrey Thomas, Homeowner from Ditmas Park
8:36:48
·
118 sec
Geoffrey Thomas, a homeowner from Ditmas Park strongly encourages the City Council to pass the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal in its entirety. He argues that the proposal has broad support, even among those who typically oppose development in their neighborhoods.
- Thomas cites a recent experience at a ULURP hearing where opponents of a local project still expressed support for the City of Yes initiative.
- He mentions a poll showing 80% of New Yorkers support City of Yes once they understand its contents.
- Thomas emphasizes that opposition comes from a small, well-organized minority and urges the council to act on behalf of ordinary working New Yorkers who support the proposal.
Geoffrey Thomas
8:36:48
Hi.
8:36:49
My name is Jeffrey Thomas.
8:36:50
I'm a homeowner in Flatbush, DIPers Park.
8:36:52
And I'd like to encourage city council to pass the city of yes for housing opportunity proposal in its entirety.
8:36:57
But I don't want you to take my word for it.
8:37:00
2 weeks ago, I was at a Euler appearing at Brooklyn Burrow Hall about a rezoning project in Windsor Terrace.
8:37:05
The site is pretty close to me.
8:37:06
It is right next to my church, and I know we badly need more housing in that area.
8:37:10
So I spoke up in favor of the project.
8:37:12
There were, of course, some folks speaking against it.
8:37:14
They said, we love the idea of more housing, but this particular site in my backyard, here's the reason why we don't think just happened.
8:37:21
So this group is organized.
8:37:22
They've got a website.
8:37:23
They are running fundraisers.
8:37:24
I'd like to quote directly from their website.
8:37:27
We support changes to zoning policy through a comprehensive, considerate process like city of yes.
8:37:34
We're urging our neighbors and elected officials to support sustainable, contextual, affordable housing.
8:37:41
Let me emphasize that.
8:37:43
These are folks literally saying not in my backyard.
8:37:46
These are landlords.
8:37:47
These are people who publicly say they're worried about the view from their front porch.
8:37:51
They say that City of Yes is a great idea.
8:37:54
That's because it is.
8:37:55
There's nothing radical there.
8:37:56
It's for iconic, normal, New York City buildings like we were doing for a very long time.
8:38:01
When you hear support and opposition, you're not hearing the, quote, normal e m b slash nimbi divide here.
8:38:06
The m b's and the nimbi's, we both like this proposal.
8:38:10
You're hearing opposition from a well organized and well funded tiny minority that wants you to think they speak for a larger group.
8:38:17
They don't.
8:38:19
I'm sure you've all heard about the poll this weekend that 80% of New Yorkers support city of yes once they know what's in it.
8:38:26
Ordinary working New Yorkers, many of whom who can't take a day off of work to sit here all day and take a day off their family responsibilities and still be here.
8:38:34
Ordinary people who don't know what the word you learn even means.
8:38:37
They want you to pass this proposal.
8:38:39
They elected you to do what's right for their community.
8:38:41
They entrusted you with that.
8:38:43
It's a common sense policy and the city badly needs it, so I urge you to vote.
8:38:46
Yes.
Shaun Abreu
8:38:47
Thank you, Jeff, and we now have Daniel Gullinger.
