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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Katya Willard, Resident of Atlantic Avenue
2:11:03
ยท
116 sec
Katya Willard, a resident of Atlantic Avenue for 10 years, expressed support for the proposed zoning changes while emphasizing the need for improved safety measures on Atlantic Avenue. She highlighted concerns about traffic speed, dangerous intersections, and the need for more housing to prevent displacement.
- Advocated for narrowing Atlantic Avenue to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety
- Supported large-scale upzoning and increased housing development, even if not all units are deeply affordable
- Argued that building more housing would help prevent displacement of long-term residents by providing options for higher-income individuals
Katya Willard
2:11:03
Hi.
2:11:04
My name is Katya Willard.
2:11:05
Thank you for your time.
2:11:07
So I live on, Atlantic Avenue on the corner of Washington And Atlantic.
2:11:11
I have for about ten years.
2:11:13
I'm raising my family there.
2:11:15
I have a son right now that's almost two years old, and I'm expecting our second.
2:11:23
I wanted to say that for me, on this corridor is a big priority.
2:11:26
So while I'm in favor of all of these zoning changes, I just wanna bring up that my number one priority is, like, I don't find it safe to cross Atlantic Avenue.
2:11:34
I don't find it safe to do it with my son in a stroller.
2:11:38
Their traffic is moving too fast.
2:11:39
A lot of people run red lights.
2:11:41
The left turn from Washington onto Atlantic, heading, to Atlantic heading west is really dangerous.
2:11:50
I also bike in the neighborhood, and I find it dangerous.
2:11:52
So for me, I'm in favor of this plan just because I think having more people here will be helpful and make it safer.
2:11:59
I'd love to see a narrowing of Atlantic Avenue.
2:12:01
And then I'd also like to add, I understand that people have a commitment to deeply affordable housing, but if you wanna keep people in their homes, you need places for the people that wanna push them out of their homes because they can afford it.
2:12:13
And so I'm a huge fan of large amounts of upzoning for housing even if it's not deeply affordable because there are people that will live in those homes and therefore won't kick you out of your brownstone if you've been living there for thirty years.
2:12:27
So anything that can get more housing built in this area, which I know that this plan is trying to do, think is a huge win.
2:12:36
I would hope that there would be no height restrictions, no far restrictions.
2:12:41
I know it might change the neighborhood in some ways, but also trying to hold the built environment of the neighborhood the same means that those people will be pushed out.
2:12:51
If we can build a lot of housing, it keeps some things about the neighborhood the same because people can continue to live there.
2:12:57
That's my testimony.
2:12:58
Thank you.