PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of OpenPlans on City of Yes and Lifting Parking Mandates
1:25:13
·
117 sec
Sara Lind, Co-Executive Director of OpenPlans, testifies in strong support of the City of Yes proposal, particularly advocating for the lifting of parking mandates citywide. She argues that this measure is crucial for addressing New York City's housing affordability crisis and has broad public support.
- Lind cites a recent poll showing 74% of New Yorkers support lifting parking mandates, with highest support among lower-income residents.
- She shares an anecdote about a homeless woman supporting the proposal, emphasizing the dire need for housing over parking.
- Lind argues that lifting parking mandates citywide could be the most impactful action the council can take to ease the housing burden, citing Minneapolis as an example.
Sara Lind
1:25:13
Hi.
1:25:14
My name is Sarah Lynn, and I'm co executive director at OpenPlans.
1:25:17
We testified today in strong support of City of Yes, and especially in favor of lifting parking mandates citywide.
1:25:23
Years ago, when open plans began advocating to lift parking mandates, we joined the chorus of people trying to answer a fundamental question.
1:25:30
How do we make the city more affordable for the people who live here now and those who live here in the future?
1:25:35
And over the years, during this advocacy, we've had countless conversations with community members, council members, city planning, and other cities who've made this reform.
1:25:43
We've published a white paper, held info sessions, spoken with community boards, and hosted rallies.
1:25:48
And in all those conversations, one message has stood out.
1:25:51
New Yorkers are desperate for more housing.
1:25:53
And if the trade off is between parking and housing, they demand housing.
1:25:57
What we've been hearing on the streets is born out and polling over and over again.
1:26:01
Just yesterday, a new poll came out that shows that 74% of New Yorkers support lifting parking mandates.
1:26:06
Support is highest among lower income New Yorkers who are less likely to own cars and more likely to be rent burden.
1:26:11
And even in Southeast Queens, a neighborhood typically thought of as opposed to city of yes, 72% of residents support lifting parking mandates.
1:26:18
So, although there are some loud opponents, they do not represent the majority.
1:26:22
We, the supporters of city of yes, are the majority.
1:26:26
A few weeks ago at a rally, we hosted an older woman came and stood the whole time in the rain with a sign that said, how is everyone?
1:26:34
After the rally, I asked her her story.
1:26:36
She told me that she was living in a homeless shelter and desperate for housing.
1:26:39
She uses a walker, and she does not have a car.
1:26:42
And she couldn't believe that our leaders would force developers to build parking instead of allowing them to build new homes.
1:26:49
Lifting parking mandates citywide is one of the most important and impactful things that this council can do to help the woman like her finally find stable housing and ease the housing burden for all New Yorkers.
1:27:00
And I will say in cities that have done this like Minneapolis, They've made zoning changes like those, in city of yes, lifting parking mandates has been the most impactful thing that they have done, and we need to do it citywide.
