PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Scott Hobbs, Executive Director of The Village Alliance
2:17:56
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111 sec
Scott Hobbs, Executive Director of The Village Alliance, testifies about the challenges small Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) face with DSNY's proposed waste containerization mandate. He expresses support for cleaner streets but highlights operational and financial difficulties in implementing the new requirements.
- The Village Alliance has provided supplemental sanitation services for over 30 years in underserved areas of Greenwich Village.
- Hobbs cites issues with inter-agency collaboration, budget constraints, and potential service cuts as major obstacles to implementing containerization.
- He urges the city to provide financial assistance, collaborate on feasible solutions, and postpone enforcement until practical implementation is possible.
Joshua Goodman
2:17:56
Oh, hi.
2:17:57
Good morning, chairs Abreu, Juan, and the members of the committee.
2:18:01
My name is Scott Hobbs, and I serve as the executive director of The Village Alliance.
2:18:04
Since 1993, we have supported Greenwich Village's commercial corridors, which are home to predominantly small and independent businesses.
2:18:11
We share the department of, sanitation's goal of removing trash bags from the the street.
2:18:16
For over 30 years, we've provided supplemental sanitation services in corridors underserved by city sanitation.
2:18:22
However, DSNY's proposal to mandate waste containerization for public refuge, backed by the bid for DSNY pickup, is an operational and financial challenge that is insurmountable for small, bids like mine.
2:18:35
1st, implementing containerization requires collaboration with DSNY, DOT, and the bids.
2:18:40
In 2022, we despite receiving a DSNY grant for containerization, we were unable to place them due to disagreements between these agencies on placement.
2:18:50
2nd, 70% of our $1,400,000 budget is already allocated to sanitation and public safety.
2:18:56
We cannot fund containerization infrastructure without significant cuts to services.
2:19:00
Unlike larger bids, we lack the resources to absorb the additional costs.
2:19:04
Moreover, enforcement of this unfanded unfunded mandate would reduce and eliminate our supplemental sanitation services leading to overflowing bins and undermining the goal of cleaner streets.
2:19:15
Bids were established to supplement these city services, not replace them.
2:19:19
Shifting core responsibilities without financial support contradicts this intent.
2:19:23
To address these issues, we urge the city to provide financial assistance for containerization infrastructure, collaborate with bids to identify feasible solutions for container placement, and postpone enforcement until it's practically, feasible.
2:19:37
The village alliance remains committed with working with the city and stands ready to partner with DSNY.
2:19:41
However, we need equitable realistic solutions to account for the unique challenges of smaller bids like ours.
2:19:46
Thank you.
