PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Thomas Devaney, Senior Director of Land Use & Planning at Municipal Art Society of New York
0:11:11
·
129 sec
Thomas Devaney from the Municipal Art Society of New York expresses support for the City of Yes proposal as a means to produce needed housing through zoning changes. He emphasizes that while the proposal has merits, it must be accompanied by comprehensive planning and funding programs to effectively address the housing crisis.
- Supports lifting parking mandates and allowing ADUs to increase housing stock
- Endorses the Universal Affordability Preference (UAP) as an improvement over voluntary inclusionary housing
- Recommends expanding Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs) for landmarks and supports office-to-residential conversions with some caveats
Thomas Devaney
0:11:11
Thank you.
0:11:12
Thomas DeVaney, senior director of Lanyu's in planning, municipal art society.
0:11:16
MES supports the city of yes as a way to produce much needed housing through incremental city zoning changes.
0:11:22
City of yes would distribute contextual residential density across the city and banned it through different building types, many of which are not permitted under current zoning.
0:11:31
But zoning reform alone will not solve our housing crisis nor and normal city of yes guarantee affordable housing.
0:11:39
CITIVIA must be accompanied with comprehensive planning and sensitive incentive incentives.
0:11:45
City and state funding programs that allow the city to grow and meet the needs of New Yorkers, particularly those most heavily burdened by escalating housing costs.
0:11:54
Lifting the parking zoning parking mandate gives developers flexibility and can unlock new housing.
0:12:00
By supporting transit oriented development in lieu of parking requirements, City of Yes, also supports city's climate mandate by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
0:12:10
We believe this change balances driver's needs while prioritizing housing and the environment.
0:12:15
We recommend the council pass this amendment as drafted UAP is a good way to incentivize affordable housing and at a deeper level than voluntary inclusionary housing, which UAP would replace.
0:12:28
Allowing ADUs is a smart local impact way to increase housing stock and low density residential districts.
0:12:34
More financial assistance will be needed to make ADU's more viable and accessible way to add up to 40,000 dwelling units as projected.
0:12:43
Expanding the area for TDRs from landmarks has been long overdue and we support this proposal.
0:12:50
We believe that that property owners who reseat of Receeding Sites should still be required to obtain a special permit if they seek bulk modifications to accommodate additional floor area.
0:13:02
And finally, MSS supports the changes that allow office to residential conversions of buildings constructed before 1991 and the expanded geographic applicability.
0:13:11
However, since most, if not all of recent residential conversions
Kevin C. Riley
0:13:15
are in
Thomas Devaney
0:13:16
luxury housing.
0:13:17
We we Thank you.
Kevin C. Riley
0:13:18
We can
Thomas Devaney
0:13:18
explore incentives.
0:13:19
Thank you.
