PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mark Anaya, Vice President of Neponsit Property Owners Association on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
4:40:41
·
135 sec
Mark Anaya, representing the Neponsit Property Owners Association, strongly opposes the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. He urges the council to vote against it, citing concerns about flooding, infrastructure capacity, and community opposition in his area.
- Emphasized that Neponsit is in a flood zone and was severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy
- Stated that Community Board 14 and the Queens Borough President's appointees have voted against the proposal
- Argued that existing empty commercial buildings could be repurposed for housing instead of new construction
Mark Anaya
4:40:41
Alright.
4:40:42
I'm sorry.
4:40:42
Alright.
4:40:43
So I'm the vice president of the Naponset Properties Owner Associations.
4:40:47
We've been around since 1919.
4:40:49
We're we're one of the oldest associations in in probably New York City.
4:40:54
We represent about 3000 members in our area.
4:40:57
I just want to cut to the chase.
4:40:58
We want you to vote no for the city of yes.
4:41:01
And then one of the reasons why in this location, we are in a flood zone.
4:41:05
We got destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, was surrounded by water on all three sides where a peninsula.
4:41:11
The water table keeps getting higher Even when we get just rain, our sewer system is flooding.
4:41:18
We cannot take any more more structure or more building.
4:41:21
The infrastructure is not gonna handle it.
4:41:24
We did our fair share.
4:41:25
We have numerous of senior centers here, adult living, SROs, halfway houses.
4:41:35
So even ex the community board 14, what they think about the city.
4:41:40
Yes.
4:41:40
They overwhelmingly said, no.
4:41:42
We do not want the city of us, and they voted it down.
4:41:44
Donovan Richardson, the the Queensboro president, who appointed these people that live in the community, hand picked them, and they said, no.
4:41:52
We don't want the city of yes.
4:41:55
So we're asking you to side with the people that live in these communities and not the builders or the developers.
4:42:02
People work real hard to live in these places.
4:42:06
This plenty of places that these buildings that are empty and these commercial buildings, we could do a smarter way to house these homeless people or affordable housing with these existing buildings.
4:42:17
We don't have to build more of these fire rises and put people more on buildings, it's not gonna work.
4:42:23
So, again, we want you to stand with the people from this the people of this community and throughout the whole city, to vote no for the city guests and do not stand with the builders or the developers.
4:42:38
And if anybody city council is gonna vote for this.
4:42:41
The 800's Good
UNKNOWN
4:42:42
time is it twice.
Shamina Lavingia
4:42:43
Sorry.
4:42:44
Good.
Lynn Schulman
4:42:45
Good.
4:42:45
Time is up.
Mark Anaya
4:42:46
People out.
4:42:46
That if you stand for this and you vote this, We have we have zoning to protect all communities.
4:42:52
Do not destroy Your
Lynn Schulman
4:42:53
time your time is up.
4:42:54
Thank you.
Mark Anaya
4:42:55
Okay.
4:42:56
Sorry about that.
Gordon Lee
4:42:57
We called Brian.
