PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Renee Monrose, Artist and Resident of SoHo
11:04:29
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119 sec
Renee Monrose, an artist and long-time SoHo resident, testified against the City of Yes housing plan, specifically opposing the discriminatory provisions in section 15-01 of the zoning code. She argued that the plan unfairly targets SoHo and NoHo with a punitive tax for residential conversions, while other areas of the city face no such charges.
- Monrose urged the committee to reject the plan unless the discriminatory provisions are removed
- She highlighted the unfairness of imposing a $100,000 tax on SoHo/NoHo buildings for conversions that would be free elsewhere in the city
- The testimony emphasized the disproportionate impact on senior citizens and long-time residents of the neighborhood
Renee Monrose
11:04:29
Hi.
11:04:29
Good evening, Chairman Riley and Committee members.
11:04:32
Thank you for being here this late.
11:04:34
It has been a very long day.
11:04:36
My name is Renee Munro's.
11:04:38
I'm an artist and a bloop in my locked and so hoe since 1988.
11:04:43
I wanna thank my council member, Chris Marte, for supporting his constituents on this matter.
11:04:48
With him and many of my neighbors who have testified here today, I asked the committee to reject the city of yes housing plan unless the discriminatory discriminatory provisions in section 15 dash 01 are removed.
11:05:02
The city of yes plan aims to reduce housing barriers and costs, by allowing commercial buildings to be converted to residential.
11:05:11
Yet in section 15 dash 01 of the zoning code, BCP made a flagrant exception that targeted SoHo and NoHo.
11:05:19
In a very text amendment, city planning imposed a punitive tax of 1,000,000 of dollars per building in order to create the so called arts fund.
11:05:28
This massive tax punishes me and my neighbors, many of whom are senior citizens based solely on geography.
11:05:35
In spite of fierce opposition by residents of these neighborhoods, the tax is forced on us and no one else.
11:05:41
This is just blaring discriminatory.
11:05:44
No else in the city with such a tax and residential conversion exists.
11:05:49
All other commercial buildings will have the right to convert.
11:05:51
It's free, but I am some of my neighbors will owe 100 of 1000 of dollars the same right.
11:05:58
I ask you chairman Riley and the rest of the community, how is this fair?
11:06:02
Why should a small number of buildings be punished with attacks that will cause some huge amounts of money for no other reason that they are lucky to be in a certain ZIP code?
11:06:10
Is this kind of discrimination illegal?
11:06:13
I urge you to reject the city of house for housing opportunity plan unless the discriminatory provisions in section 1501 against SoHo and NoHo are removed.
11:06:23
Please vote against this plan unless it treats all new workers' people.
11:06:27
Thank you.
