Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kevin Wolfe, Senior Government Affairs Manager at Center for New York City Neighborhoods, on Housing Connect and Homeownership
3:17:20
·
131 sec
Kevin Wolfe from the Center for New York City Neighborhoods testifies about the need for reforms in Housing Connect 2.0, particularly focusing on its impact on homeownership. He argues that the current system is not working effectively for home buying and purchasing affordable homes in New York City.
- Calls for a comprehensive overhaul of Housing Connect 2.0, designed specifically for homeownership
- Highlights the disconnect between existing city resources for home buying (like HomeFirst) and Housing Connect
- Suggests more synergy and connection between various homeownership programs and Housing Connect
Kevin Wolfe
3:17:20
Great.
3:17:22
Good afternoon, and thank you, chair Sanchez.
3:17:24
I can everyone hear me okay?
3:17:27
Okay.
3:17:27
Great.
3:17:28
Thank you.
3:17:28
My name is Kevin Wolf, and I'm with the Center for New York City Neighborhoods.
3:17:32
And I would like to thank you for holding this hearing on Housing Connect.
3:17:37
There was a lot of good testimony specifically on rentals, but we wanted to talk about homeownership and how Housing Connect, impacts homeowners.
3:17:48
The the top line, message that that we have today for the hearing, is that Housing Connect two point zero needs reform.
3:17:56
It's not working, for, home buying and purchasing affordable homes in New York City.
3:18:04
And we would like to see some significant reforms.
3:18:07
Notwithstanding, we understand that HPD just sent out an email last week saying that they'll be temporary temporarily offering a a waiver for the re rentals and the resales.
3:18:17
We understand that and that's that's good.
3:18:19
But we wanna see a comprehensive overhaul, since Housing Connect two point o was designed, not homeownership.
3:18:30
And so what we we would wanna do is have something that is designed specifically for home ownership.
3:18:36
Before I get to the recommendations, do wanna say this, chair Sanchez, the city already provides ample resources for home buying, but right now it's not connected, ironically.
3:18:47
And so we have, we have HomeFirst and a huge commitment of over $40,000,000 to home buying.
3:18:58
That the city council funds of nonprofits that provide first time home buying counseling.
3:19:04
They're not connected to a housing connect.
3:19:06
We'd actually like to see, training and funding will be one of our recommendations.
3:19:14
We have affordable housing programs offered by the state through Housing Connect.
3:19:21
And so what we would like Thank you.
3:19:24
More synergy and more connection, between, those two items.
3:19:27
And I have my written testimony, so we can submit, that as a follow-up.
Robert Desir
3:19:23
Time to expand.