REMARKS
Council Member Salamanca advocates for housing zoning amendment and investment plan
0:26:18
·
3 min
Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. delivers remarks supporting the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning text amendment and the $5 billion City for All Housing Plan. He emphasizes the urgent need for more affordable housing in New York City and explains how these initiatives aim to address the housing crisis.
- Highlights the expected creation of 80,000 new homes over 15 years through zoning reforms
- Discusses the $5 billion investment plan, including $2 billion for affordable housing preservation and $2 billion for infrastructure improvements
- Stresses the importance of citywide participation and balancing diverse neighborhood needs in addressing the housing crisis
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
0:26:18
Thank you, majority leader.
0:26:20
Housing is the most important pillar to the health of our communities and the city, yet the severe shortage of our homes across the 5 boroughs, especially one that are most affordable, is leaving working and middle class New Yorkers in an impossible struggle to secure housing.
0:26:33
In an increasingly unaffordable city, New Yorkers are spending more than their paycheck on housing than they can afford.
0:26:40
The historic 1.4% housing vacancy rate is is a sounding alarm, which makes clear that we must significantly build more housing, Reforming our city's outdated zoning while making meaningful housing and neighborhood investments present a major opportunity to make our city more affordable for every New Yorker.
0:26:56
Holistically, we know that not one council district alone can build its way out of a housing crisis.
0:27:02
It takes a a true action plan that includes every district's participation in confronting this issue.
0:27:08
The council can advance an important step towards this goal by approving our modifications to the housing opportunity citywide zoning text amendment, which is expected to build more than 80,000 new homes over the next 15 years.
0:27:20
This reform plan maintains a core principle that for equitable development, every part of the city must create new housing.
0:27:27
At the same time, we fully understand that neighborhoods across our city have a distinct characteristics with diverse needs that must be respected.
0:27:35
That is why modifications account for differences across neighborhoods and establish stronger requirements for more deeply affordable housing to match the greater need amongst New Yorkers.
0:27:46
The council also recognizes that our communities have significant housing and infrastructure needs that cannot be met solely by producing more housing through zoning changes.
0:27:55
That is why the council fought to secure historic $5,000,000,000 in investments to help address these many other needs through our city for all housing plan.
0:28:04
For the residents of NYCHA, Michalama, and other existing affordable housing developments, we secure we secure $2,000,000,000 to preserve and create more of these homes.
0:28:13
Throughout the public review process, many residents and their council members highlighted the lack of sufficient infrastructure in their neighborhoods, which led to flooding, battered roads, and lack of open space.
0:28:24
To address these vulnerabilities, the council secured $2,000,000,000 towards strengthening communities infrastructure.
0:28:30
The funding commitments we secured for the city of all also include reinforcements for tenant protections that can help prevent displacement, housing assistance to combat homelessness, and support for housing agencies to help New Yorkers access housing, advance the development of affordable homes, and inspect buildings to ensure safety.
0:28:49
Ensuring housing and housing security for our constituents and all residents is a fundamental to a thriving city.
0:28:55
New Yorkers need stable, affordable homes, and the council is moving to address this crisis through a comprehensive plan that pairs investments and housing solutions together with zoning reforms.
0:29:07
I'm confident that this thoughtful, carefully negotiated agreement, though with diverse community concerns in mind, is the right step for our city.
0:29:14
Now is the time for action and our shared contributions to solve our housing crisis and what will ensure that New Yorkers today and tomorrow can succeed.
0:29:23
Thank you.
