PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by June Moses, Former President of a Harlem Tenants Association
5:19:58
·
139 sec
June Moses, a former president of a Harlem tenants association, expresses concerns about the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan. She questions how the plan will address the needs of those in shelters, low-income residents, and middle-income individuals, citing specific data on homelessness and poverty in New York City.
- Moses highlights the high number of people (87,000) living in DHS shelters and questions if the plan will provide housing for residents at 40% AMI.
- She cites the Poverty Tracker by Columbia University and Robin Hood, noting that about 2 million low-income New Yorkers are struggling and need truly affordable housing.
- Moses expresses skepticism about the plan's ability to help middle-income residents, pointing out that AMI is a fluid number that recently increased by 10%, making housing less affordable.
June Moses
5:19:58
Great.
5:19:59
Sorry.
5:19:59
Thank you, sir.
5:20:01
Hi.
5:20:01
My name is June like the month, Moses like the Bible.
5:20:04
I am a past president of a 10 association and Harlem, a thousand people.
5:20:07
But right now, I'm here as a private citizen and a very concerned one.
5:20:12
I'm struggling to understand how the city of Yes On Housing Opportunity, which is to address the desperate need we have for housing in New York City.
5:20:19
We'll meet the meet we'll meet the needs of those this ambitious plan claims to help.
5:20:24
First, let's talk about the 87,000 people living in DHS shelters.
5:20:28
That number is is not my number.
5:20:30
I didn't come out with it.
5:20:30
It is from the New York City Department of Investigation report on October 17 2024.
5:20:35
Google it.
5:20:35
Look it up.
5:20:36
See what I'm talking about.
5:20:37
See, I wonder if that number would be less if people who are already there would be would benefit from the the present housing that we have and that they would income qualify.
5:20:49
Right now, that number is high, so it doesn't and I'm not clear on how the city of yes would provide housing for those residents at 40% AMI.
5:20:58
Now, there's about 2 million residents here in the city that are considered low income New Yorkers, and we are barely making it.
5:21:05
It's not my feelings and vibes on the subject.
5:21:07
This is documented by the poverty tracker presented by the Columbia by Columbia University And the Organization Roberthood.
5:21:15
These are people for whom how affordable housing is necessary, not a luxury, Yet, I don't see how the city a yes offers a real path to affordable living.
5:21:24
And most of us who are living at 40% AMI, we recognize that that type of rent at 40% above is not viable for low income residents.
5:21:35
Now let's move on to the middle income.
5:21:37
The the middle income folks who are here who are also getting squeezed, and are you and they are usually the ones who are cited that the city a yes is truly going to help.
5:21:45
Now for those who rent, again, me, they we already know that AMI is a fluid number, which just this year experienced a 10% increase.
5:21:56
This has effectively raised the bar on what affordable means making housing, less affordable.
5:22:01
Now keep in mind, Oh, sorry.
5:22:03
I'll submit the rest.
Lynn Schulman
5:22:04
Thank you.
5:22:05
Submit the rest.
5:22:05
But if you wanna just wrap it up and
June Moses
5:22:07
Oh, yes.
5:22:08
The the cost of living from employers only went up 3.8%, the math ain't math in.
5:22:12
And until we can take care of everybody, I would have to say no or give us a plan on how we're gonna leave.
