PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Peter Miller, Artist and SoHo Resident, on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
0:58:16
·
91 sec
Peter Miller, a long-time SoHo resident and artist, urges the committee to reject the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal unless discriminatory provisions against SoHo and NoHo residents are removed. He argues that the proposal's arts fund fee in section 1501 unfairly targets his neighborhood, contradicting the city's housing and equity goals.
- Miller has lived in SoHo for over 50 years and is concerned about the financial impact of the proposed arts fund fee
- He points out an inconsistency in the plan, which aims to reduce housing barriers while imposing a significant financial burden on SoHo/NoHo residents
- The testifier views the arts fund fee as a discriminatory tax that would make it impossible for him to continue living in the area
Peter Miller
0:58:16
Good morning.
0:58:19
I am a resident of SoHo for over 50 years.
0:58:23
I'm an artist.
0:58:24
My wife is an artist.
0:58:27
I live right next to Bloomingdale's, which is difficult.
0:58:33
I urge the committee to reject the CDVA's proposal unless it's discriminatory provisions in section 1501 against Soho.
0:58:41
And know how residents are removed.
0:58:44
The proposal does not treat all New Yorkers equally.
0:58:47
The DCP claims the city of Yes Plan will reduce housing barriers and costs by allowing commercial buildings to be repurposed into housing, yet in 6 and 1501 of the rosoning code, the DCP makes a glaring exception singling our residents of SoHo and NoHo to impose a discriminatory tax of millions per building in a so called arts fund fee, which would be impossible for me to to deal with, to live there.
0:59:20
This massive tax severely punishes me and my neighbors based solely on where we live.
0:59:26
Why target our neighborhoods for this unfair treatment, why add this impossible financial barrier.
0:59:33
This ins this inconsistency contradicts the city's stated housing and equally equal equity goals and undermines the very essence of this housing reform.
0:59:45
Please vote no.
