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TESTIMONY

Rachel Fee from New York Housing Conference on support for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity and addressing NYC's affordable housing crisis

3:25:28

·

3 min

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Rachel Fee, Executive Director of New York Housing Conference, testifies in strong support of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity initiative. She highlights the critical need for zoning reforms to address New York City's affordable housing shortage and the inequities in housing development across different neighborhoods.

Emphasizes the current housing crisis, citing a 1.4% vacancy rate and 50% of residents being rent-burdened
Points out the negative impacts of the housing shortage, including outmigration to neighboring states and limited mobility for residents
Discusses how the tight housing market affects homelessness, with half of voucher holders unable to use their vouchers and families staying in emergency shelters for an average of 437 days

Strong support for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
Need for zoning reforms to address New York City's affordable housing shortage
Inequitable housing development across city districts
Low vacancy rate (1.4%) and high rent burden for residents
Housing shortage driving people to neighboring states
Limited mobility for current residents due to housing crisis
Ineffective tools to fight homelessness due to tight housing market
Long stays in emergency shelters for families with children
Need for more housing to create a more affordable, fair, and inclusive city

[EXPERIMENTAL]

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

I was not able to tie quotes from the testimony back to specific elements of the proposal. Check out another testimony here.

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?

Rachel Fee

3:25:28

Thank you, Chair of Robnik and other members of the city planning commission for the opportunity to testify today.

3:25:34

And for citing some of our New York City housing tracker earlier.

3:25:37

My name is Rachel C.

3:25:38

I'm Executive Director of the New York Housing Conference a non profit affordable housing policy and advocacy organization.

3:25:45

I'm here to express strong support for the city of yes for housing opportunity.

3:25:50

I'm pleased to be joined here today by many of the 130 organizations in our yes to housing coalition who are seeking zoning reforms to help address New York City's affordable housing shortage and are proud to support city of yes.

3:26:04

Housing opportunity zoning reforms make changes add residential zoning capacity in every New York City neighborhood.

3:26:11

For too long, many New York City neighborhoods have opted out of adding housing.

3:26:16

Perpetuating exclusionary housing policies, making housing development inequitable, and driving up housing costs.

3:26:24

My organization tracks affordable housing production and last year District 17 in the Bronx produced more affordable housing than the bottom half of Council District combined.

3:26:35

Isn't it time in 2024 to address these glaring inequities and for every neighborhood to do its part.

UNKNOWN

3:26:43

New York City's

Rachel Fee

3:26:43

housing affordability crisis reached a critical point and this crisis will worsen if we do not add more housing.

3:26:52

With the vacancy rate of only 1.4%, the lowest in 56 years, and half of New York City residents being rent burdened.

3:27:01

It is clear that our existing housing policies are unsustainable.

3:27:06

New Yorkers spend too much of their paychecks on rent, leaving little room for other essential needs.

3:27:13

The housing shortage is also driving renters and potential homebuyers to neighboring states to save on housing costs.

3:27:21

And for those who remain, it limits mobility.

3:27:25

Trapping many in apartments that don't meet their evolving needs, and locking out everyone but those with the highest incomes, all while having a rippling effect on our economy as we lose out on the benefits of diverse and evolving workforce.

Eustacia Smith

3:27:42

Oh, I'm talking too slow.

Rachel Fee

3:27:43

I did want to mention that It also makes our tools to fight homelessness less effective.

3:27:51

There were 630 1000 applications for the nitrile waitlist.

3:27:56

We know that half of the voucher holders that get a voucher are never successful in using it because of the tight housing market.

3:28:05

We also know that homelessness is getting worse, For families with children in emergency shelter, they're staying there on average 4 37 days.

3:28:15

We must build more housing if we want a more affordable, fair, and inclusive city.

3:28:21

The city of yes for housing opportunity is a crucial step towards creating a city where everyone belongs, I urge you to support this proposal and vote in favor.

Follow-up discussion/remarks

QUESTION

Commissioners inquire about affordable housing data and potential impacts of zoning changes

3:28:32

·

5 min

Commissioners Osorio and Benjamin ask Rachel Fee, Executive Director of New York Housing Conference, about data on existing affordable housing stock and potential impacts of the proposed zoning changes on development patterns. Fee acknowledges data limitations and discusses potential effects of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity initiative.

Commissioner Osorio highlights gaps in data on existing affordable housing stock and vacancy rates by income bracket and community district
Commissioner Benjamin questions whether the proposed changes would significantly alter current development patterns
Fee suggests that while exact outcomes are uncertain, the initiative could create new development opportunities, particularly in areas with transit-oriented development and town center zoning

Strong support for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity
Need for zoning reforms to address New York City's affordable housing shortage
Inequitable housing development across city districts
Low vacancy rate (1.4%) and high rent burden for residents
Housing shortage driving people to neighboring states
Limited mobility for current residents due to housing crisis
Ineffective tools to fight homelessness due to tight housing market
Long stays in emergency shelters for families with children
Need for more housing to create a more affordable, fair, and inclusive city

[EXPERIMENTAL]

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

I was not able to tie quotes from the testimony back to specific elements of the proposal. Check out another testimony here.

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

3:28:32

We have a question for you from Commissioner Asorio.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:28:34

Thank you, Cher.

3:28:35

Thanks so much for your testimony and for the research on the subject.

3:28:38

I have 2 quick data questions.

3:28:40

I'm wondering if as part of the conversation or as part of your work on the tracker, did you measure the amount of affordable existing portal housing units that exist in each of the district?

3:28:51

In other words, not what has been produced, but what percentage of the current stock is actually affordable housing?

Rachel Fee

3:28:58

The historic data isn't great.

3:29:00

I think the best resource for that is held at NYU Firmen Center, but even I'm not sure how reliable it is for the older buildings that have expired regulatory agreements.

3:29:12

But it it's hard to get a precise sense of it.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:29:15

Understood.

3:29:16

Understood.

3:29:16

It's it's clear that it's data availability limitation.

3:29:20

Okay.

3:29:21

But you would agree that it's important to that's a sort of like a gap that we have in terms of fully defining the lack of affordable housing options.

Rachel Fee

3:29:29

It's a huge gap.

3:29:30

And what we're looking at is who's adding new affordable housing opportunities across the city.

3:29:35

And, right, this is also what people are making decisions on land use today.

3:29:39

So that's the approach we took.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:29:40

Understood.

3:29:41

Thank you.

3:29:41

The other question has to do with vacancy rates.

3:29:44

As part of the conversations that we've had here in terms of the environmental impact study.

3:29:50

I've pointed out the need to look at vacancy rates and not just total vacancy rates, but by income bracket.

3:29:56

Is that something that your tractor or your research has looked into?

Rachel Fee

3:30:00

I mean, we're well aware that as you go down in income, it gets harder and harder to find an available apartment.

3:30:08

And for the lowest income New Yorkers, it's well below 1% vacancy rate.

3:30:13

It's really like trying to find a needle and a haystack to find an apartment you can afford.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:30:17

But I agree with you.

3:30:18

But, anecdotally, but do you actually have done that research or or has somebody done the research to be able to incorporate that in the final EIS?

Rachel Fee

3:30:28

So New York City Department of Housing Preservation, Housing Vacancy Survey has that and they break down by income and they released a report last year.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:30:36

By income bracket, by community district?

Rachel Fee

3:30:39

I think I don't know if they do it.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:30:41

My my understanding is that it doesn't stand where you're So that's why I'm asking whether you've you've done that or you've come across?

Rachel Fee

3:30:46

No.

3:30:47

We use the city's housing vacancy survey for that data.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:30:50

But would you agree that that's another sort of like big kind of like gap that we have in terms of to fully understand where the problem is at?

Rachel Fee

3:30:58

Sure.

3:30:59

I mean, another data source we looked at was what's available on the market through Zillow.

3:31:05

Just to give it doesn't give you a full sense, but it gives a sense of where asking grants are and then what's affordable.

3:31:12

And Zillow ran some data for us And for all of their rentals on the market last year, the median renter could not afford an apartment in any single community district.

Juan Camilo Osorio

3:31:23

Okay.

3:31:24

Thank you.

Dan Garodnick

3:31:26

Thank you, commissioner.

3:31:27

Before you go, Ms.

3:31:28

C.

3:31:28

Commissioner Benjamin also.

UNKNOWN

3:31:29

Sorry.

Gail Benjamin

3:31:31

You know, we've been talking about 1 unit per acre, but is there any data that suggests that the development patterns of where development is happening would be any different?

3:31:48

So that each community, while these these proposals are permissive, they're not directive.

3:31:56

So we have a development pattern that's based on economics, personal preference, lots of other factors.

3:32:04

Do we have any data that suggests that kind of thing would change because of this?

Rachel Fee

3:32:11

I think developers go where they can make money and where there is opportunity.

3:32:15

So if there is an opportunity to add zoning capacity I do think they will respond to that.

3:32:22

I think we'll see a lot more affordable housing produce with UAP in the medium and high density districts I think where they can get larger sites, we'll also see affordable housing produced around TOD in the lower density neighborhoods.

3:32:35

But, yes, I think you're right that we can't this is changing zoning.

3:32:40

We don't know exactly how it plays out.

3:32:42

But over time, I expect we are adding more housing and more affordability in every district.

Gail Benjamin

3:32:51

But we don't have any real data that suggests it would change.

3:32:55

Is this by itself?

3:32:57

Enough to change the development pattern that we see and the reasons why certain communities are getting more development because the land is cheaper for a bunch of other reasons and other communities or not?

Rachel Fee

3:33:12

I think this will open up some development opportunities, especially around DOD and town center zoning where we're not seeing any development right now.

3:33:21

So I do think those will be new sighting opportunities in the future.

3:33:25

But yes, I think we're going to also add more housing and especially more affordable housing where we're already building in the medium and high density districts.

Gail Benjamin

3:33:34

Okay.

3:33:34

Thank you.

Dan Garodnick

3:33:35

Thank you, commissioner.

3:33:36

Thank you, Ms.

3:33:37

Fee.

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