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REMARKS
Anita Laremont on overcoming NIMBYism to solve the housing crisis
0:20:16
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121 sec
Commissioner Anita Laremont draws on her extensive experience in land use and city planning, including chairing the City Planning Commission.
She identifies a key challenge: while most agree more housing is needed, local opposition often prevents necessary growth ("please not next to me"). Laremont stresses the need to overcome this parochialism to solve the city's housing problems and ensure its continued vitality.
Richard R. Buery Jr.
0:20:16
Next, Alida Lermont is a partner at the law firm of Fried Frank, Harris, Shriver, and Jacobson, where she practices in the areas of land use and real estate, expertise that will be particularly helpful given our our focus.
0:20:29
Prior to joining Fried Frank, she was the chair of the New York City Planning Commission and director of the New York City Department of City Planning, having previously served as its general counsel and executive director.
0:20:40
Anita, please share some remarks.
Anita Laremont
0:20:42
Let me just say that I am so happy to be here based on the background that you talked about and many more years of, experience, in, government service.
0:20:54
It is clear to me that, you know, we make efforts to address these issues, and we continue to face challenges.
0:21:03
You know, people are of goodwill generally, I think, but the thing that I have found over time is that in this city, people think that we need more housing.
0:21:14
We all agree on that, but the issue becomes, please not neck next to me.
0:21:18
And and that has been the challenge that we faced when I was at city planning and that we really have to overcome the fact that we all need to accept that we need growth.
0:21:29
We maybe don't need huge amounts everywhere, but a little bit everywhere would help.
0:21:33
But for me, the issue is trying to change minds because we have a system that really works in a very parochial way because we have to ask on the neighborhood level about what people will agree to.
0:21:45
And it frequently stymies our ability to solve big problems on a citywide basis.
0:21:51
And we really need to do it.
0:21:53
I think that Leila said it very well.
0:21:56
For the continued vitality of the city and for its continued growth and greatness in the world, we need to be a city that can be, a place for everyone who wants to be here.
0:22:10
And that can't happen unless we can solve this housing pride problem that we have.
0:22:14
So I'm really happy to work on this commission.