PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jonathan Ortiz on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
10:17:44
·
68 sec
Jonathan Ortiz, a resident of Flatlands, District 45, testified in support of the City of Yes Housing Opportunity initiative. He emphasized the need to address the relationship between high housing costs and homelessness in New York City. Ortiz argued that increasing housing supply would help reduce prices and prevent homelessness.
- Ortiz shared his personal experience of growing up in Whitestone, Queens, where none of his friends can now afford to live
- He highlighted that many New Yorkers, including himself, are just one financial issue away from becoming housing insecure
- Ortiz urged the City Council to approve the proposal in its strongest form to increase housing supply and bring more competition to the market
Jonathan Ortiz
10:17:44
Thank you.
10:17:45
My name is Jonathan Ortiz, and I grew up in Whitestone Queens District 19 Councilman Paladino's district where you need a car, where I took the q 16 to see my friends and the 7 trains to see the city.
10:17:57
Not a single one of my friends still lives in that neighborhood because none of us can afford it.
10:18:01
I currently live in Flatlands, District 45, and I still do not own a car.
10:18:04
I'm not a trans point.
10:18:06
I'm here today because I live in NYC, and I know the cost of housing is what is driving homelessness.
10:18:11
I'm not homeless, but I'm aware that myself, many others are just one financial issue away from being housing insecure, a situation anybody could find themselves in that goes for every single person who's spoke today and everyone who will speak after me.
10:18:23
This is ultimately a factor of luck.
10:18:24
I am lucky.
10:18:25
To mitigate this problem in NYC, the city with the largest homeless pop population in the country, we need to address the relationship between the cost of rent and housing and security.
10:18:34
The city of yes housing opportunity initiative would increase the housing supply, bring more competition, more apartments, and help to reduce the price upfront.
10:18:41
This is the single biggest factor in preventing homelessness aside from just straight up providing housing, but that's more of a conversation for the future.
10:18:48
Hope City Council approves this a a proposal in its strongest form.
10:18:52
Thank you.
