PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sadie Kol, Representative of Ridgewood Property Association
12:38:05
·
125 sec
Sadie Kol, representing the Ridgewood Property Association, testifies against the City of Yes proposal, arguing that it would negatively impact the quality of life in Ridgewood, Queens, and other NYC neighborhoods. She contends that the city faces an affordability problem rather than a housing shortage, and criticizes the proposal for potentially increasing housing density by 300-500% in Ridgewood.
- Kol argues that the plan was created by big developers without input from city planners or neighborhood groups
- She claims the proposal would lead to unaffordable market-rate apartments, widening the economic divide
- Kol urges undecided representatives to vote against the measure, citing concerns about constitutional rights and quality of life
Sadie Kol
12:38:05
Thank you.
12:38:06
Dear city council, my name is Sadie, and I am here to testify against the city of yes proposal on behalf of myself many other residents of Ridgewood Queens, and the Ridgewood Property Association.
12:38:17
Ridgewood is a unique neighborhood as our many other New York City neighborhood to our New York City, adding more dwelling units as part of the city of Yes proposal.
12:38:25
Would drastically change quality of life for every single New Yorker, namely those who already struggled to keep up in this economy.
12:38:32
I am a landlord myself.
12:38:34
I will say that we do not have a housing problem.
12:38:37
We have an affordability problem.
12:38:39
New York City should be focusing on providing affordable housing for our tenants, not making their dwelling spaces smaller in an already full neighborhood.
12:38:47
We are not against tenants and we are not against the homeless.
12:38:50
We are looking to call a state a state Developers are advertising this plan as building out market rate apartments.
12:38:56
But on the contrary, these apartments will not be affordable to the everyday New Yorker, but would rather further the gap of the great divide and make New Yorkers poorer.
12:39:05
Stop punishing the population and our tenants.
12:39:08
Unlike in the past, this plan was not put together by city planners or from neighborhood or civic group input, but rather by big developers alone as part of mayor Adamses on comfortably close relationship with these groups.
12:39:20
Those same big developers here today, earlier today as lives here since morning have claimed that no drastic changes would occur.
12:39:27
That is completely inaccurate.
12:39:28
And in fact, for Ridgewood, for example, this would allow for additional units upwards of between 300% to 500%.
12:39:34
So it could go from our current 10,000 units up to 60,000.
12:39:38
This has been confirmed by a seasoned city planner who spoke earlier today.
12:39:42
The city of yes proposal will be the catalyst to ushering an agenda 2030 and ultimately 15 minute cities, which will allow governments to unconstitutionally control New Yorkers everyday movements am here today to voice my neighborhood's opposition to this proposed land use and to urge undecided representatives such as Selena Brooks Powers, Natasha Williams, and Adrian Vad Adams to not violate their oath of office and to support their constituents voices instead and vote against this large measure.
12:40:07
This measure would be
UNKNOWN
12:40:07
Thank you.
12:40:08
Your time's expired.
Sadie Kol
12:40:09
Thank you.
