PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ryder Kessler, Co-Executive Director of Abundance New York
13:35:00
·
123 sec
Ryder Kessler, representing Abundance New York, spoke in favor of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal. He emphasized the need to consider voices often left out of political processes, particularly younger residents and renters who are struggling with the city's housing crisis.
- Highlighted research showing overrepresentation of older homeowners in local politics
- Linked the proposal to the presidential campaign, noting its alignment with the Democratic agenda
- Argued that increasing housing supply is crucial for addressing the affordability crisis
Ryder Kessler
13:35:00
Hi there.
13:35:01
Can you hear me?
Kevin C. Riley
13:35:02
Yes.
13:35:02
We hear you.
Ryder Kessler
13:35:03
Alright.
13:35:04
Thanks so much for sticking it out tonight and for all the work folks are doing.
13:35:07
My name's Ryder Kessler.
13:35:09
I'm the co executive director of abundance, New York, which is an organization that is really a community of New Yorkers who want to end the scarcity and the stagnation that have had the city in a choke hold for decades.
13:35:20
It's a lot of younger folks, folks not that young in their thirties, forties, parents of young kids, people who are trying to make a life in New York but are often left out of our political processes.
13:35:31
I want to point to some recent research from Boston University about the overrepresentation of homeowners and older folks in local politics.
13:35:41
This is a quote about local elections.
13:35:43
Older homeowners are dramatically overrepresented at local elections.
13:35:47
While racial disparities in turnout and representation are consequential, they pale in comparison with homeowner renter and age disparities.
13:35:55
End quote.
13:35:56
That applies to our elections here in New York.
13:35:58
It applies to our community boards.
13:36:00
It applies to hearings like this.
13:36:01
So I would hope that folks think about the voices that aren't in this room and folks who are often disempowered from political processes people who, for whom the status quo is not working.
13:36:13
I didn't know that I would be able to speak tonight.
13:36:15
I was spending my day supporting the presidential campaign.
13:36:19
Andrew mentioned how the presidential ticket is fully behind this agenda, and I wanna remind folks, you know, they may not believe that 70 or 80% of New Yorkers want city of Jasper housing opportunity to pass in full.
13:36:33
But the vast majority of folks will be voting for Kamala and Tim Wall either on November 5th or when early voting starts on Saturday, do make a voting plan.
13:36:42
And I know the city council is super majority Democrats and probably will vote for this agenda.
13:36:47
The cornerstone of homeless housing plan is more supply because the undersupply of housing is what's causing the affordability crisis.
13:36:54
And president Obama said it at the DNC that regulations like our outdated zoning code and processes like these that take years and serve
UNKNOWN
13:37:02
Thank you.
13:37:03
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Zishun Ning
13:37:04
Thank you.
