PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Annetta Seecharran, Executive Director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation, on Accessory Dwelling Units and Basement Apartment Legalization
1:39:10
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3 min
Annetta Seecharran, representing Chhaya Community Development Corporation and the Base Coalition, expressed strong support for two bills addressing basement apartments and ancillary dwelling units in New York City. She emphasized the critical need for these measures to address the city's housing crisis and improve safety for vulnerable residents.
- The bills (T2024-2765 and T2024-2764) aim to create a program for legalizing basement apartments in 15 community districts and establish regulations for ancillary dwelling units.
- Seecharran highlighted the potential benefits for low-income homeowners and tenants, including increased affordable housing stock and improved safety measures.
- She advocated for expanding the basement program beyond the initial 15 districts to include homes that could benefit from the ancillary dwelling unit bill.
Annetta Seecharran
1:39:10
Good afternoon, chair Sanchez and committee members.
1:39:12
I am Aneta Ce Charan, the executive director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation, which is a member of the Base Coalition.
1:39:19
And my organization has also been working on basement issues for the last 15 years.
1:39:26
I'm here today to express our support for the bills that enact a basement program referred to as t 2024 dash 2765 and the amendments to the administrative codes pertaining to ancillary dwelling units referred to as t 20242764.
Pierina Sanchez
1:39:45
As the committee is
Annetta Seecharran
1:39:46
well aware, New York City's housing and affordability crisis have reached a critical point.
1:39:51
The ability to find safe, secure, affordable housing, and maintain it is extremely difficult for low to moderate income families.
1:40:01
Almost half of the city's population is rent burden, spending more than 30% of their income on rent alone.
1:40:08
Similarly, being low income being a low income homeowner of color in Queens is also incredibly hard.
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Neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Jamaica, South Ozone Park were ground 0 for the foreclosure crisis 15 years ago and still suffer in the aftermath of COVID.
1:40:27
Exacerbating these issues is climate change where basement dwellers live in fear of the next heavy rainfall.
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Because of this precariousness for basement residents, Chhaya has been advocating for critical safety measures, as I mentioned before, for the last 15 years.
1:40:42
We have found that the current status quo often perpetuates dangerous and precarious living conditions for a significant portion of our vulnerable communities.
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As such, we strongly support these bills, which make subgrade units safe and habitable.
1:40:58
We urgently advocate for this expansion of regulatory oversight of these homes that will address and correct existing health and safety standards.
1:41:08
The bill addressing basement applicable to 15 basements applicable to 15 NYC community districts, takes takes a common sense approach to creating a program for homeowners.
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It allows for homeowners to step out of the shadows without fear of enforcement and start on a path towards legalization.
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It simultaneously requires immediate safety precautions to preserve life in the case of the next disaster.
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This program will have an enormous impact on homeowners and tenants alike in the 15 districts.
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Low income immigrant homeowners will finally have a manageable path to conversion.
1:41:48
Tenants will have their first will have a first right of refusal to come back after construction is done.
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We will have safety measures in place to protect from the next storm surge all the while increasing affordable housing stock in New York City.
1:42:04
Like the basement bill, we are also very encouraged by the city's proposal to bring more basement units online through the incelery dwelling unit bill.
1:42:13
This will allow for single family homes to convert space into safe, livable units.
1:42:20
Again, this is a thoughtful, measured, and responsible way of adding safety measures to homes while increasing the existing housing stock without expanding the footprint of the building and preserving the look and feel of neighborhoods.
1:42:35
However, as encouraged as we are about the basement bill, we would also like to see the homeowner program expanded outside of the 15 community districts to homes that are that can avail themselves of the ancillary dwelling unit bill for their basements.
Jumaane Williams
1:42:50
Thank you.
1:42:50
Your time has expired.
Annetta Seecharran
1:42:53
I will submit the remainder of my testimony.
1:42:55
Thank you.
