PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ismene Speliotis, Executive Director of Mutual Housing of New York (MHANY), on Community Hiring and Compensation Standards
2:29:49
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173 sec
Ismene Speliotis, Executive Director of Mutual Housing of New York (MHANY), testifies in favor of Intro 910, which aims to establish community hiring and compensation standards for city-assisted housing development projects. She argues that living wage jobs with benefits can coexist with affordable housing development and addresses concerns about increased construction costs.
- Speliotis supports replacing low-wage jobs with safe, living-wage jobs that include benefits in the construction industry.
- She suggests that providing living wages and health benefits could lead to increased productivity, fewer work stoppages, and potentially lower insurance premiums.
- Speliotis proposes some changes to make the legislation easier to implement for all parties involved.
Ismene Speliotis
2:29:49
Thank you so much.
2:29:51
Good afternoon.
2:29:53
My name is Isminis Filiodes, and I'm the executive director of Mutual Housing of New York, Manny.
2:29:59
Manny is a not for profit owner, affordable housing developer, project manager, marketing agent, Hud certified loan counselor, and administrative services entity.
2:30:11
For decades, we've been working to increase affordable housing opportunities by identifying and implementing creative housing development initiatives with a focus on preservation and real deep affordability.
2:30:24
I am submitting this testimony to the city council in favor of interim 9 10 chapter 36 community hiring and compensation standards on city assisted housing development projects.
2:30:36
It is time to replace dangerous low wage jobs with safe living wage paying jobs with benefits.
2:30:43
As a city, we have an obligation to protect all workers who build homes in neighborhoods across the city.
2:30:50
Living wage construction jobs for every construction trade by every employer must be the norm.
2:30:56
Real affordability and housing can go hand in hand with well paid documented construction and paid benefits.
2:31:04
I am suggesting some changes, which I believe will make the legislation easier to implement for all parties involved.
2:31:11
Before outlining my reasons for support, I want to address one major issue that city agencies and developers have brought up as a nonstarter for this legislation.
2:31:21
The opposition's position is that there will be a dramatic increase in construction costs upwards of 30%, which will reduce the amount of affordable housing the city can build each year and will delay housing developments because of reduced resources.
2:31:36
Construction costs have increased substantially over the last few years, and there are several reasons for this increase independent of labor costs during and post pandemic scarcity of resources has been a major reason contractors blame for the increased costs, yikes.
2:31:53
However, there is one major factor that has increased construction costs insurance.
2:31:58
Insurance premiums have increased as dronomically over the past few years for reasons that can be addressed by adopting interim 910, providing a living wage and ensuring that affordable health benefits are available to all workers.
2:32:12
The industry has experienced this increased number of incidents on construction sites even if contractors have not been personally affected and hit with liability lawsuits, premiums have increased for all.
2:32:24
By hiring and training construction workers and paying a living wage and by providing bona fide health coverage, contractors, owners, and developers will experience increased productivity, fewer work stoppages, and the industry will be able to demand lower insurance premiums, and it goes on.
2:32:42
K.
Carmen N. De La Rosa
2:32:43
You can just submit it for the record, and we'll Perfect.
