PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Maria Scarvelone on Arrow Linen Site Rezoning
4:08:12
ยท
130 sec
Maria Scarvelone, a 35-year resident near the Arrow Linen site, strongly opposes the upzoning application for the property. She advocates for contextual, affordable housing development instead of the proposed larger-scale project.
- Criticizes Arrow Linen for rejecting a proposal from Catholic Charities for 100% affordable units in a 7-9 story building
- Expresses concern about the influence of lobbying groups like Open New York on the rezoning process
- Argues that increased housing supply hasn't solved affordability issues in NYC, citing examples from Williamsburg and Greenpoint
- Proposes limiting upzoning to 7-9 stories to encourage more affordable housing options
Maria Scarvelone
4:08:12
I've lived near the Arrow Linen site for 35 years now, and I vehemently oppose this up zoning application.
4:08:18
I do welcome truly affordable contextual housing there as Catholic Charities proposed.
4:08:25
It wanted to purchase the property to develop 7 to 9 stories and 100% affordable units, but Arrow summarily rejected the idea.
4:08:33
Why?
4:08:34
Because it's holding out to make even more money when you all okay taller buildings After benefiting decades from variances and tax abatements, Arrow is now moving its business out, but be not before it tries to extract one last huge benefit, a grossly out of context upzoning from you, our elected officials.
4:08:56
This, despite having repeatedly lied to all of us about why it mysteriously included 11 privately owned townhouses in its upzoning area, or how it had supposedly engaged the community, it actually tried to pass off its private meeting with the community board president as community engagement.
4:09:15
That's called lobbying.
4:09:17
And lobbying is powerful on this subject.
4:09:20
Increased supply is the mantra repeated by loud proponents of this project, many of them barely familiar with our area, and members of Open New York, a registered lobby that has received $3,500,000 from tech billionaire, Dustin Moskovitz, and has now formed a PAC.
4:09:38
The truth is, housing unit growth has outpaced our population growth for the last 50 years, and still housing costs are increasing exponentially.
4:09:47
It turns out the law of supply and demand isn't quite so clear cut in the New York City real estate market.
4:09:53
We need only look to Williamsburg and Greenpoint to see that build, baby, build has led to luxury unit building that has increased rents and forced out lower income tenants and worsened racial disparity in those areas.
4:10:08
By limiting up zoning to 7 to 9 stories, you can incentivize and resurrect the Catholic Charities option and build more affordable units than Arrow has proposed, all within the area's context.
4:10:20
That is the win win solution.