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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Yvette Chen, Program Manager of Neighborhood Development at Center for NYC Neighborhoods
1:46:17
ยท
155 sec
Yvette Chen from the Center for NYC Neighborhoods addressed the mayor's preliminary budget, focusing on three key priorities to expand homeownership and strengthen housing stability in New York City. She emphasized the importance of sustained funding for homeowner services, expansion of affordable homeownership opportunities, and support for small property owners and homeowner landlords.
- Requested $25,600,000 for the homeowner help desk to fund legal services for homeowners in crisis
- Called for $2,000,000,000 for capital investments in affordable housing development, including Mitchell Lama developments
- Advocated for doubling the funding of the citywide CLT initiative to $3,000,000 to support community land trusts
Yvette Chen
1:46:17
Good afternoon.
1:46:18
My name is Yvette Chen and I'm
Rafael Salamanca
1:46:19
I'm sorry.
1:46:20
You should turn on your mic.
1:46:21
The red button.
Yvette Chen
1:46:23
Thank you.
1:46:24
Good afternoon.
1:46:25
My name is Yvette Chen.
1:46:26
I'm a program manager in neighborhood development at the Center for New York City Neighborhoods.
1:46:31
I would like like to thank the speaker, the chair, and the members of the council for giving us the opportunity to address the mayor's preliminary budget today.
1:46:40
The Center for New York City neighborhoods promotes and protects affordable homeownership in New York so that middle and working class families are able to live in strong thriving thriving communities.
1:46:51
Today I want to discuss three key priorities for the budget that will expand homeownership and strengthen housing stability across New York City.
1:47:01
The first priority is sustained funding for homeowner services including foreclosure prevention and home repair.
1:47:09
This funding preserves affordable homeownership in the city for historically disadvantaged communities as well as preserving the naturally occurring senior housing stock and affordable rental supply in two to four family homes.
1:47:22
The proposed $25,600,000 and funding for the homeowner help desk funds legal services for homeowners in crisis.
1:47:30
Furthermore, increasing the investment in the home first down payment assistance program will increase homeownership opportunities by expanding program eligibility to more moderate income New Yorkers up to a 20% area median income.
1:47:45
Our second priority is the expansion of affordable homeownership opportunities including increased investment in Mitchell Lama developments and down payment assistance.
1:47:55
We asked for $2,000,000,000 for capital investments to finance affordable housing development including Mitchell Lama developments.
1:48:04
We also asked the council to support the creation of new homeownership opportunities for low and moderate income New Yorkers by doubling the funding of the citywide CLT initiative to $3,000,000.
1:48:16
Launched in 2020 this council funded initiative supports the formation expansion and stabilization of community land trusts in their mission to create preserve and steward permanently affordable housing.
1:48:29
The last priority is support for small property owners and homeowner landlords through accessory dwelling unit incentives and the creation of an office of small homes.
1:48:39
We support the sustained funding for technical assistance and staff.
1:48:43
To ensure these efforts are successful the budget should include funding for nonprofit community based organizations.
Rafael Salamanca
1:48:49
I'm sorry can you please
Dan Garodnick
1:48:50
Yeah.
Rafael Salamanca
1:48:51
Up.
1:48:51
Yes.
Yvette Chen
1:48:51
Thank you.
Rafael Salamanca
1:48:52
Alright.