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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alex Martinez, Representative from Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
3:10:39
·
127 sec
Alex Martinez testifies on behalf of Kingsbridge Heights Community Center (KHCC), a housing ambassador since 2017. He highlights the challenges faced by the organization in supporting constituents with Housing Connect, including limited funding, high income requirements for affordable housing, and technical issues with the portal.
- KHCC has supported over 2,000 constituents with Housing Connect since 2017
- The portal is described as glitchy, often down, and challenging for those with limited digital literacy or language barriers
- Martinez emphasizes the need for email/text notifications and in-person application assistance to help constituents navigate the system more effectively
Alex Martinez
3:10:39
Okay.
3:10:40
Hi, everyone.
3:10:41
Thank you.
3:10:41
Good afternoon.
3:10:42
I'm Alex Martinez.
3:10:44
I am here testifying on behalf of Kingsbridge Heights Community Center.
3:10:49
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, KHCC, has been a housing ambassador since 2017.
3:10:58
We and in that time, we have supported over 2,000 constituents with Housing Connect.
3:11:04
The reality is that the need for community members have for navigating the process and portal exceeds CBO's capacity as little to no funding is provided by HPD.
3:11:16
In our experience, annual funding has only been made available three times since 2019.
3:11:22
And the reality is that the fifteen to twenty
3:11:37
Efforts made by HPD to clarify the housing lottery definition of affordable housing, many constituents are often frustrated by how high the income requirements are for the buildings, Often requiring incomes over a hundred thousand not meet a lot of the needs that we see in The Bronx.
3:11:53
The portal has grown more and more glitchy, and the website is often down.
3:11:58
It is a disservice to the clients who come to our weekly walk in hours, only to be turned away because the website is not working.
3:12:07
The constituents who need the most support are those with limited access or comfort with technology.
3:12:13
This is especially challenging and true for constituents to navigate when there is a limited digital literacy or language barriers.
3:12:23
As housing ambassadors, KHCC is most qualified to speak on the legislation proposing the email text notifications and in person application assistance.
3:12:33
Many constituents unintentionally miss critical updates and deadlines if they are unable or unaware to log in to the portal or they do so but are unable to
3:12:44
The webs thank you for your time.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
3:11:29
Oh, you froze.
Robert Desir
3:12:43
Thank you.
3:12:44
Time's expired.