PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Zool Zulkowitz on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
0:27:37
·
124 sec
Zool Zulkowitz, originally from the South Bronx but currently living in Midtown, offers a nuanced perspective on the proposed City of Yes for Housing Opportunity amendment. While applauding efforts to address the affordable housing crisis, he raises concerns about the nature of development and its potential impact on economic and racial segregation in New York City.
- Emphasizes the need for contextual development and increased investment in areas like Queens and the Bronx
- Questions who will benefit from and who will pay the price for the proposed housing developments
- Provides an example of how developers can exploit the real estate market, contrasting a supportive housing project with a luxury high-rise development
Zool Zulkowitz
0:27:37
Good morning.
Kevin C. Riley
0:27:38
Good morning.
Zool Zulkowitz
0:27:39
I live in Midtown, but I am originally from the South, the South Bronx.
0:27:44
You can take the boy out of the Bronx, but not the Bronx.
0:27:47
Out of the boy, which means to me a lifelong concern for the poor, for the migrant, for working people of all backgrounds and ages from all parts of our world, for the least of these.
0:28:02
I applaud chair Garabnik for his superhuman efforts to solve our decades long and ever overwhelming affordable housing crisis.
0:28:11
A little more housing in every neighborhood and greater density around transit hubs are excellent concepts.
0:28:18
But what kind of housing?
0:28:20
Who's building it?
0:28:22
Who's profiting?
0:28:23
Who's paying too high a price?
0:28:26
We must have modest contextual development as chair Garodnik says, and housing affordability must come with greater investment in places like Queens and the Bronx as council member of Salamanca pointed out yesterday.
0:28:41
But the underlying question with this city of yes, text amendment remains, will it increase or decrease economic and racial segregation in our town?
0:28:55
Here's an example of how developers, bankers, a venture cap game, go game the global real estate market in this town.
0:29:02
The Prince George, a 1904 landmark, 13 stories of more than 400 units of support of housing, always in the need of funds, sold rights for the billionaires, Bunker in the sky on 5th Avenue West 29th Street.
0:29:16
More than 50 stories high with maybe less than 30 units, non small than two story duplexes, for people who might reside there for the 2 weeks of the US open.
0:29:27
Meanwhile, the avenue is teeming with our on house neighbors.
0:29:33
Let us ask ourselves who we might build the house we need while preserving light and clean air, our streetscapes and green spaces.
0:29:41
Thank you.
