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TESTIMONY

Max Davidson on supporting City of Yes for Housing Opportunity and recommendations for expansion

7:37:49

·

149 sec

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Max Davidson expresses strong support for the City of Yes initiative, emphasizing its importance in addressing New York City's housing shortage and improving conditions for tenants. He shares personal anecdotes and historical context to highlight the urgency of the housing crisis.

  • Recommends expanding the City of Yes initiative, particularly in affluent white neighborhoods, to address racial equity
  • Suggests exploring ways to deepen affordability levels beyond the proposed 60% Area Median Income (AMI)
  • Proposes creative solutions such as averaging affordability levels across different developments in various neighborhoods
  • Support for City of Yes initiative to address housing shortage
  • New York's legacy as a haven for immigrants is at risk due to housing crisis
  • Housing shortage gives too much power to landlords over tenants
  • City of Yes provides a first step towards rebalancing power towards tenants
  • Support for increasing density and height for transit-oriented development, especially in affluent white neighborhoods
  • Recommendation to expand UAP and identify opportunities to deepen levels of affordability
  • Suggestion to explore ways to add market-rate units in exchange for deeper affordability
  • Proposal to average affordability levels between developments in different neighborhoods
  • Encouragement to strengthen the City of Yes initiative to meet the needs of all New Yorkers

[EXPERIMENTAL]

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

  • UAP
  • 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

"Additionally, I want to recommend DCP or to expand UAP and identify creative opportunities to deepen levels of affordability."

The speaker directly mentions UAP and suggests expanding it, which shows they are discussing this element of the proposal.

"From any working class New Yorkers, 60 percent AMI is too high."

This quote refers to the AMI percentage mentioned in the UAP proposal, indicating that the speaker is discussing this element.

"To offer 2 recommendations, perhaps DCP can explore ways to make to add additional as of right market rate units on the condition that that allows for deeper affordability at 50% or 40% AMI."

The speaker is suggesting modifications to the UAP proposal, showing that they are discussing this element.

Transit-Oriented Development

"I support his proposal to increase density and height for transit oriented development, particularly in affluent white neighborhoods that were down zoned under the Bloomberg administration ratio."

The speaker explicitly mentions supporting increased density and height for transit-oriented development, which directly relates to this element of the City of Yes proposal.


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?
Dan Garodnick
7:37:49
My name
Max Davidson
7:37:49
is Max Davidson.
7:37:50
I'm speaking in support of the city of Yes.
7:37:52
Much of my family emigrated to New York City from Europe, fleeing violence against Jews.
7:37:57
And for the last over a century, New York has been a haven for immigrants throughout the world to build lives here.
7:38:04
But we're at risk of losing that legacy because of New York City's housing shortage, and we risk becoming a playground for the wealthy.
7:38:11
To put a finer point on it, New York, millions of people have sought New York as for opportunity.
7:38:17
Now millions of New Yorkers leave New Jersey seeking affordability.
7:38:21
Moreover, the housing shortage has given too much power to landlords over tenants.
7:38:25
Thanks to New York's housing shortage, landlords can charge outrageous prices for small, substandard apartments.
7:38:31
A close friend of mine is currently raising 2 children in a one bedroom apartment.
7:38:35
Earlier this year, she discovered her apartment had mold, lead, and pests.
7:38:40
That is no environment to raise her kids.
7:38:42
The landlord was able to drag his feet on repairs because he knows that my friend has no alternative.
7:38:47
Tenants throughout the city need alternative options for housing.
7:38:51
The city of yes provides a strong first step towards rate that hitting the balance of power towards tenants.
7:38:58
With that said, we must go further.
7:39:00
I want to echo calls from Burkland Burrow President Antonio Ronoso for DCP to identify ways to expand the city of yes.
7:39:07
I support his proposal to increase density and height for transit oriented development, particularly in affluent white neighborhoods that were down zoned under the Bloomberg administration ratio.
7:39:18
This is a core issue of racial equity and making sure every neighborhood does their part to solve the housing crisis.
7:39:24
Additionally, I want to recommend DCP or to expand UAP and identify creative opportunities to deepen levels of affordability.
7:39:33
From any working class New Yorkers, 60 percent AMI is too high.
7:39:38
To offer 2 recommendations, perhaps DCP can explore ways to make to add additional as of right market rate units on the condition that that allows for deeper affordability at 50% or 40% AMI.
7:39:50
Alternatively, if a developer is building in, say, the West Village And Crown Heights, perhaps they can average between 2 different developments.
7:39:57
So reaching 70 percent AMI in the village, whether it's a high willingness to pay, but achieving 50% afford AMI in Crown Heights, which is a much more working class neighborhood.
7:40:07
I strongly encourage you to explore every opportunity to strengthen the city of yes.
7:40:11
This is an important 1st step we need to meet the needs of the moment for New Yorkers for every class creating color.
7:40:17
The future of
Dan Garodnick
7:40:18
the city depends on it.

Follow-up discussion/remarks

REMARKS

Chair Garodnick clarifies UAP affordability levels in City of Yes proposal

7:40:27

·

20 sec

Chair Dan Garodnick provides additional information about the Universal Affordability Preference (UAP) in the City of Yes proposal, specifically regarding Area Median Income (AMI) levels for affordable units.

  • The UAP program has lowered the AMI requirement from 80% to an average of 60%
  • This change allows for a blend of affordability levels within the same building
  • Units could potentially be priced at 40% or 50% AMI, balancing with higher AMI units to achieve the 60% average
  • Support for City of Yes initiative to address housing shortage
  • New York's legacy as a haven for immigrants is at risk due to housing crisis
  • Housing shortage gives too much power to landlords over tenants
  • City of Yes provides a first step towards rebalancing power towards tenants
  • Support for increasing density and height for transit-oriented development, especially in affluent white neighborhoods
  • Recommendation to expand UAP and identify opportunities to deepen levels of affordability
  • Suggestion to explore ways to add market-rate units in exchange for deeper affordability
  • Proposal to average affordability levels between developments in different neighborhoods
  • Encouragement to strengthen the City of Yes initiative to meet the needs of all New Yorkers

[EXPERIMENTAL]

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

  • UAP
  • 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

"Additionally, I want to recommend DCP or to expand UAP and identify creative opportunities to deepen levels of affordability."

The speaker directly mentions UAP and suggests expanding it, which shows they are discussing this element of the proposal.

"From any working class New Yorkers, 60 percent AMI is too high."

This quote refers to the AMI percentage mentioned in the UAP proposal, indicating that the speaker is discussing this element.

"To offer 2 recommendations, perhaps DCP can explore ways to make to add additional as of right market rate units on the condition that that allows for deeper affordability at 50% or 40% AMI."

The speaker is suggesting modifications to the UAP proposal, showing that they are discussing this element.

Transit-Oriented Development

"I support his proposal to increase density and height for transit oriented development, particularly in affluent white neighborhoods that were down zoned under the Bloomberg administration ratio."

The speaker explicitly mentions supporting increased density and height for transit-oriented development, which directly relates to this element of the City of Yes proposal.


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?
Dan Garodnick
7:40:27
One thing I will note on the subject of UAP and the AMI levels, whereas our voluntary program previously was at 80%.
7:40:35
Now it is at 60%.
7:40:37
It's a blended 60%.
7:40:38
It's an average of 60%.
7:40:39
I just wanted to point that out.
7:40:41
So you could get $40,000,000,000 or $50,000,000,000 in the same building.
7:40:44
You may know that already.
7:40:45
I just figured I would make a note.
7:40:47
Okay, great.

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