PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Matthew Dunbar, Chief Strategy Officer of Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester County
0:15:38
·
124 sec
Matthew Dunbar, representing Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester County, expressed strong support for the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. He emphasized the need for all communities to contribute to affordable housing and highlighted how the plan could increase homeownership opportunities in New York City.
- The proposal provides multiple ways to create affordable homeownership, including ADUs, moderate-density development near transit, and opportunities for faith-based organizations.
- Dunbar noted that NYC's 30% homeownership rate is far below the national average of 66%.
- He mentioned specific benefits of the proposal, such as removing parking requirements and making technical fixes to the affordable homeownership program Open Door.
Matthew Dunbar
0:15:38
Good morning.
0:15:39
My name is Matthew Dunbar.
0:15:40
I'm the chief strategy officer at Habitat for Humanity in New York City in Westchester County.
0:15:44
Wanna thank Cher Riley, the speaker, and the entire city council for this opportunity.
0:15:48
At Habitat for Humanity, New York City in Westchester, we've spent 40 years building and preserving affordable homeownership with low income New Yorkers in the pursuit of building a more equitable New York.
0:15:59
But at this point in time, in order for us as a city to build a more equitable New York, we need to have a plan that allows for and requires that all communities contribute to that building of affordable housing.
0:16:12
We wholeheartedly support the city of yes for housing opportunity and specifically want to highlight Yesterday's questions from the city council that emphasized the need for more affordable home ownership opportunities.
0:16:25
And this plan provides multiple ways for affordable home ownership to be created, and home ownership generally to be increased as we currently have a 30% homeownership rate where the national average is 66%.
0:16:37
So we are far behind the national average on this.
0:16:40
And through the city of yes for housing opportunity, it provides opportunities for homeowners to build ADUs, for town center and transitory into development to be to build moderate density, affordable homeownership opportunities through coops and condos.
0:16:56
It provides opportunities for faith based organizations and and campuses to build affordable homeownership alongside rental.
0:17:02
It removes parking requirements that stand in the way of affordable home ownership projects being more economically viable.
0:17:10
And it also cleans up technical fixes to the affordable home ownership program open door in relation ship to NIH, which would allow for projects like Habitat's Claremont House to build 60% more units in the Bronx through this technical fix.
0:17:28
So we want to encourage the city council to say yes and and to build on what is being proposed and know and not know because, and we wholeheartedly support this pro this this program, and and thank you for the opportunity to
