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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Andrew Santana, Deputy Director of Research and Policy at Asian American Federation
4:25:59
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128 sec
Andrew Santana from the Asian American Federation testified about the challenges faced by nonprofits due to New York City's slow and complicated procurement process, particularly highlighting its impact on Asian American organizations. He emphasized the need for a simpler, more efficient system and expressed support for proposed legislation to address these issues.
- Santana stressed that payment delays are particularly harmful to Asian American nonprofits, which are historically underfunded and rely heavily on government funding.
- He warned that the current financial and political climate has created widespread fear among communities about their ability to endure, and that delayed payments could lead to the closure of vital community-based organizations.
- The testimony included support for Intros 1247, 1248, and 1249, which aim to improve the city's contracting and payment processes.
Andrew Santana
4:25:59
Okay.
4:26:00
Thank you Chair Juan, Chair Stevens, the Committees on Contracts in Children and Youth.
4:26:04
I'm Andrew Santana, Deputy Director of Research and Policy at the Asian American Federation where we represent over 70 member non profits and serve 1,500,000 New Yorkers.
4:26:12
At AAF, we recognize New York City's procurement process is crucial for delivering essential services like the ones AAF members provide regularly.
4:26:20
Through city funding, we serve, feed, educate, house, support seniors, youth, survivors of violence, immigrants, small businesses, and many other New Yorkers across the five boroughs.
4:26:29
The current system, however, fails New Yorkers.
4:26:32
It is slow, complicated, and puts an excruciating burden on the providers and ultimately the New Yorkers that rely on our services.
4:26:39
These delays are particularly harmful to Asian American nonprofits, which are historically underfunded.
4:26:44
According to the Asian American Pacific Islander Institute of Philanthropy, only 20¢ of every $100 awarded to foundations goes to AAPI organizations.
4:26:53
And given that disparity, many community based organizations rely on government funding.
4:26:57
As a result, payment delays can weaken community based organizations, causing them to go in debt, miss payroll, reduce staff, eliminate programs.
4:27:05
And rather than providing language and culturally specific programs, they're in a contract abyss.
4:27:10
Delayed contracts result in delayed service, delayed safety, delayed justice, delayed housing, delayed healing, prolonged hunger, and prolonged suffering.
4:27:18
I want to be blunt.
4:27:19
Given the financial and political environment we are currently in, there is widespread fear amongst our communities about their ability to endure this current climate.
4:27:26
Indeed, while our communities are acutely targeted, our members continue to provide life saving services because the stakes have never been higher.
4:27:34
It would be an extraordinary, foreseeable, and preventable tragedy if a key reason a community based organization closes is due to delayed payments by the city.
4:27:42
AF supports a simpler procurement system.
4:27:45
We know we've been here before, and we know that the city revisits this on a regular basis.
4:27:49
While there have been some technological advances to ease the system, chronic issues exist, late payments persist.
4:27:56
We need a system that is efficient, fair, and accountable.
4:27:59
We support the initiatives twelve forty seven, 12 40 eight, 12 50 nine under discussion here, and I have more detailed testimony with other recommendations that I'll submit later.
4:28:06
Thank you.