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TESTIMONY

Sara Bronin, Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, on City of Yes for Housing Opportunity's alignment with federal historic preservation policy

2:07:22

·

163 sec

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Sara Bronin, speaking as the Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), expresses support for several aspects of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal, noting their alignment with federal historic preservation policy. She highlights how the proposed changes could benefit historic properties and increase housing supply in New York City.

  • Bronin emphasizes ACHP's support for legalizing conversions of non-residential structures to residential use, accessory dwelling units, eliminating parking minimums, changes to transfer of development rights for landmark buildings, and new rules for historic campuses.
  • She notes that these elements reflect key principles in ACHP's housing policy statement, which aims to promote historic preservation while boosting housing supply and meeting sustainability goals.
  • Bronin mentions that the ACHP has hosted forums where the City of Yes proposal was discussed positively in relation to giving new life to historic properties as housing.
  • The proposal aligns with ACHP's federal historic preservation policy
  • Support for legalizing conversion of nonresidential structures for residential uses
  • Support for legalization of accessory dwelling units to increase density in historic neighborhoods
  • Elimination of parking minimums is a positive step
  • Changes to rules concerning transfer of development rights from landmark buildings can provide financial support for rehabilitation
  • Changes to how historic campuses are treated could help utilize excess land for new density without demolition
  • The proposal leverages the city's historic built environment to support housing

[EXPERIMENTAL]

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

  • Residential Conversions
  • Parking Mandates
  • ADU
  • Campuses

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.

Residential Conversions

"First, ACHP policy supports stoning changes to legalize the conversion of nonresidential structures for residential uses As you've seen in the financial district, this can have tremendous impact in ensuring our historic resources continue to serve our community."

This quote directly discusses the element of residential conversions, mentioning the support for legalizing the conversion of nonresidential structures for residential uses, which is a key aspect of the Residential Conversions proposal.

Parking Mandates

"3rd, the elimination of parking minimums. It's a positive step for the city. We talk about that too in the housing policy statement."

This quote directly mentions the elimination of parking minimums, which is the core aspect of the Removing Parking Mandates proposal. The speaker expresses support for this change, aligning it with their housing policy statement.

ADU

"2nd, the legalization of accessory dwelling units can increase density in historic neighborhoods without demolition while providing much needed housing. In the company written testimony that we provided, we've encouraged the planning commission to consider design guidelines to further streamline EDU permitting."

This quote directly discusses the legalization of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which is a key element of the ADU proposal. The speaker supports this change and even mentions providing additional recommendations for streamlining ADU permitting.

Campuses

"And then finally, a change to how historic campuses are treated could help historic buildings Similarly, use excess land and ensure new density without demolition."

This quote directly addresses the Campuses element of the proposal, mentioning how changes to the treatment of historic campuses could allow for new density without demolition, which aligns with the goals of the Campuses 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?
Sara Bronin
2:07:22
Excellent.
2:07:23
So good morning, members of the City Planning Commission.
2:07:26
As the former chair of Hartford, Connecticut's Planning And Zoning Commission.
2:07:30
It's really a privilege to address the Planning Commission in New York City where citywide zoning emerged over a 100 years ago.
2:07:37
But I'm speaking you today as chair of a different agency, the advisory council on historic preservation.
2:07:43
The nation's federal historic reservation agency charged by Congress to advise on state and local legislation that impact the store.
2:07:52
Last year, we adopted a policy statement on housing and historic preservation.
2:07:57
And in that policy statement, the council 24 member body aimed to promote historic preservation in order to boost housing supply, meet sustainability goals, and utilize community assets more effectively.
2:08:10
Since adopting this policy statement, the ACHP has posted several virtual and in person quora, including one last month in New York City, where the city of Yes for Housing Opportunity came up a few times, analysts characterized the proposal as a real opportunity for New York City's historic properties to see new or renewed life as housing.
2:08:31
So in light of that background, the ACHP has reviewed the proposed changes to the of New York zoning resolution and finds the following changes to be largely in line with our federal historic preservation policy.
2:08:44
First, ACHP policy supports stoning changes to legalize the conversion of nonresidential structures for residential uses As you've seen in the financial district, this can have tremendous impact in ensuring our historic resources continue to serve our community.
2:09:00
2nd, the legalization of accessory dwelling units can increase density in historic neighborhoods without demolition while providing much needed housing.
2:09:09
In the company written testimony that we provided, we've encouraged the planning commission to consider design guidelines to further streamline EDU permitting.
2:09:18
3rd, the elimination of parking minimums.
2:09:20
It's a positive step for the city.
2:09:22
We talk about that too in the housing policy statement.
2:09:25
4th changes to the rules concerning the transfer of development rights from landmark buildings can actually give these properties a prime financial lifeline enabling their rehabilitation and maintenance.
2:09:36
And then finally, a change to how historic campuses are treated could help historic buildings Similarly, use excess land and ensure new density without demolition.
2:09:47
So these elements of the city of yes for housing opportunity proposal reflect an advanced key principles set out in our housing policy statement and on behalf of our member's we applaud the planning department's efforts to leverage the city's historic built environment to support housing.
2:10:04
Thank you.

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