The citymeetings.nyc logo showing a pigeon at a podium with a microphone.

citymeetings.nyc

Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.

TESTIMONY

Katherine Winters, Whitestone resident, on opposition to City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan

6:08:36

·

175 sec

Report an issue

Katherine Winters, a long-time New York City resident, expresses strong opposition to the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan. She argues that the proposal threatens the diversity of neighborhoods and the quality of life in single-family zoned areas, which she believes are essential to the city's overall livability.

  • Winters emphasizes the importance of preserving single-family zoning, which includes trees, small gardens, and green spaces, arguing that these features are fragile and difficult to reclaim once lost.
  • She questions the proposed benefits of the plan, suggesting that there are more effective ways to address housing issues, such as revitalizing underutilized areas and improving existing multifamily zones.
  • Winters criticizes the proposal for not adequately addressing environmental impacts, parking needs, transportation issues, school capacity, and the need for true low-income and senior housing.
  • Opposes the plan on behalf of herself and her neighbors
  • Importance of preserving single-family zoning for quality of life and diversity of neighborhoods
  • Single-family zoning areas are fragile and once changed, are difficult to reclaim
  • Questions the proposed benefits of the plan
  • Suggests focusing on underutilized areas already zoned for multifamily housing
  • Proposal does not address environmental impacts, parking needs, transportation issues, and school capacity
  • Does not adequately address low-income housing, senior housing, and homelessness
  • Believes the plan primarily benefits builders rather than residents

[EXPERIMENTAL]

Which elements of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity were discussed in this testimony?

  • UAP
  • Parking Mandates
  • ADU
  • Transit-Oriented Development

The following are AI-extracted quotes and reasoning about which elements of the proposal were discussed in this testimony.

This is a quick, close approximation. Occasionally, the connection between a testimony's transcript and specific elements of City Planning's proposal is tenuous.

Read about this AI-generated analysis here.

UAP

"On the broader base, it does not address the need for true low income housing for senior housing. And for the need to the homeless."

While not directly mentioning UAP, the speaker criticizes the proposal for not addressing low-income and senior housing needs, which relates to the affordability aspect of the UAP element.

Parking Mandates

"Also, the proposal does not address environmental impacts, does not provide critical needs for parking, rich and higher rooms, already constrained near buses and shops."

The speaker mentions the lack of provision for parking needs, which relates to the proposal's element of removing parking mandates.

ADU

"Once changed with businesses, multifamily buildings, backyard, structures, it is lost and lost forever."

The speaker mentions 'backyard structures', which could be referring to accessory dwelling units (ADUs) such as backyard cottages that are part of the City of Yes proposal.

Transit-Oriented Development

"Does not address adequate transportation, and my area expressed buses are few and far between."

The speaker mentions inadequate transportation and infrequent buses, which relates to the transit-oriented development aspect of the proposal, albeit in a critical manner.


About this analysis:

This analysis is done by AI that reasons whether or not a quote from the testimony discusses a particular element of the proposal.

All the prompts and data are open and available on Github.

You can search for testimonies that mentioned a specific element in the table on the main meeting page.

When an element is explicitly stated in the testimony (e.g. "Universal Affordability Preference" or "UAP"), the analysis is accurate.

But the connection between a quote from the testimony and an element of the proposal is sometimes implicit.

In these cases, the AI might eagerly label a testimony as discussing a proposal when the connection is tenuous, or it might omit it entirely.

↗ Why are there transcription and diarization errors?
Katherine Winters
6:08:36
Good afternoon.
6:08:37
I'm the resident, White Stone McQueens, and here to voice my opposition to this plan on behalf of myself, and many many of my neighbors.
6:08:47
I have lived most of my life in New York City, much of it in Manhattan as a child in an adult.
6:08:53
And have lived in all the barriers with the exception of Staten Island at different stage stages of my life.
6:09:00
So I understand, and I love the diversity of neighborhoods and the diversity of lifestyles in New York City.
6:09:06
That includes multifamily areas, areas with apartments and high rise and single family areas.
6:09:11
I've lived in all of them.
6:09:13
There is diversity of neighborhoods in New York City and all great and livable cities must include and protect single family zoning with its trees, small gardens, and green spaces, which I understand is only 52 present New York City housing.
6:09:30
It is key to the overall quality of life in New York City.
6:09:34
Quality of life is the key reason we choose to live in a place.
6:09:39
It enables many to live in New York City as a age and not live leave, not abandon the city.
6:09:47
It is also important to note the quality and characteristics of single family zoning are fragile.
6:09:55
Once changed with businesses, multifamily buildings, backyard, structures, it is lost and lost forever.
6:10:04
It is difficult to reclaim Green Space.
6:10:07
Additionally, the proposed benefits, I think, are questionable.
6:10:11
Based on based on the mixed use, perhaps, of statistics.
6:10:15
These problems could be addressed in far more effective ways.
6:10:19
As others have highlighted, There are many underutilized areas with multifamily build businesses, offices, apartment buildings in this city, and many areas need revitalization in it at the upper boost.
6:10:31
What is key is to invest in safety and upgrade and build more housing in these areas that are already zoned.
6:10:39
And have the infrastructure to support it.
6:10:41
Tax incentives, improvement incentives should be considered.
6:10:46
Also, the proposal does not address environmental impacts, does not provide critical needs for parking, rich and higher rooms, already constrained near buses and shops.
6:10:56
Does not address adequate transportation, and my area expressed buses are few and far between.
6:11:02
Does not address the need for schools with the right pupol teacher ratio.
6:11:06
On the broader base, it does not address the need for true low income housing for senior housing.
6:11:13
And for the need to the homeless.
6:11:15
I do not see the proposal addressing the goals.
6:11:18
It sup says it supports.
6:11:21
Sadly, the only clear benefit is to enrich builders.
6:11:25
It is a potential disaster in city planning for the people of the city and the future of the city.
6:11:31
Far

Subscribe to the citymeetings.nyc newsletter

Highlights of meeting moments and curious claims every 1-2 weeks.

Read previous issues

Citymeetings.nyc pigeon logo

Is citymeetings.nyc useful to you?

I'm thrilled!

Please help me out by answering just one question.

What do you do?

Thank you!

Want to stay up to date? Sign up for the newsletter.