PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mark Greenberg, Executive Director of Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing
2:45:00
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126 sec
Mark Greenberg, representing the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing, strongly supports the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. He emphasizes the urgent need to address the growing homelessness crisis in New York City and calls for zoning changes to enable faith communities to contribute to housing solutions.
- Greenberg has witnessed the homeless population grow from under 10,000 to over 100,000 over the past 40 years
- He argues that inaction is not an option given the disproportionate impact of the housing crisis on low-income New Yorkers
- Greenberg invokes religious teachings to support the moral imperative of addressing homelessness and providing affordable housing
Mark Greenberg
2:45:00
Yes.
2:45:00
Thank you.
2:45:00
Good morning.
2:45:01
Good afternoon, Chair Riley and members of the council.
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I'm Mark Greenberg, executive director of the Interfaith Assembly on homelessness and housing and president of the Interfaith Affordable Housing Collaborative.
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Interfaith Assembly grew out of efforts based at the Cathedral of Church of Saint John the Devaughn in 1982.
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And as we watched the number of people on our streets explode, we committed ourselves to bear witness to the crisis of homelessness and ask what how many faith traditions call us to do.
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Over the last 40 years, I've seen homeless census grow from under 10,000 to over 60,000, and now with the migrant influx to over a 100,000.
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I've heard the stories of thousands of people struggling with the traumas of homelessness striving to rebuild their lives.
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I speak here on behalf of the thousands of good and decent people just looking for a chance to reclaim reclaim the humanity.
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I applaud the New York City Department of City Planning for putting together this bold and innovative proposal to enable New York City to live to the great promise and I trust that the city council will produce a plan that best balances the concerns and aspirations of all New Yorkers.
2:46:06
All great faith traditions command us to stand in solidarity with those who are struggling and New York City should do no less New York's faith community stands ready to do our part, but we need New York zoning rules to enable us to do so.
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Some New Yorkers have strongly opposed the changes proposed by the city of the US, but for the tens of thousands of our shelters and on our streets, and that he's struggling to pay the rent or simply find an apartment they can afford.
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Their fear has not changed, but the status quo.
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The city of yes for housing opportunity will mean that more of the lowest income New Yorkers will have a greater chance to find stable housing and get back to our great city with a housing crisis disproportionate inaction is not an an option.
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And from the Hebrew Bible, those from among you shall rebuild the old waste places.
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You shall raise up the foundations of many generations and you shall be called the prepare repairs of the breach, restorers of streets to dwell in, let us be known as the repair of the breach and restorers of streets to dwell in.
