Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michael Abrahams, Member of the Public supporting streamlined rules and inclusive community definition
2:48:24
·
134 sec
Michael Abrahams voices support for Open New York's reform recommendations, particularly fast-tracking fair housing, and advocates for simplifying land use rules rather than adding complexity. He also identifies himself and other renters seeking affordable housing as integral parts of the New York City community who deserve to have their needs met.
- Abrahams supports Open New York's proposals, especially the fair housing fast track.
- He urges a focus on simplifying and streamlining processes through rules-based systems.
- He pushes back against exclusionary definitions of community, asserting that renters wanting to live affordably are also New Yorkers whose needs matter.
Michael Abrahams
2:48:24
Hey.
2:48:26
So I don't have quite as much of a prepared talk.
2:48:28
I wanted to voice my support for, the Open New York's, like, revision recommendations, particularly, one that would create, like, a fast track for, fair housing, based on, like, speaker Adams, like, framework.
2:48:42
Like, basically, you know, there's been a lot said about how, you know, our housing shortage, like, lack of supply, like, increase has been, like, causing this.
2:48:53
But, like, you know, I think one thing that a lot of people who have been, like, suggesting things have been like, oh, let's add complications to the process.
2:49:00
Let's, like, add the city, like, you know, comprehensive plan.
2:49:04
Like, you know?
2:49:05
And, like, yes.
2:49:06
Like, I understand that, but I just wanna, like, ask that we all, like, like, try to consider, like, a principle of, like, designing rules that like like a rule rules based system, something that could, like, simplify, streamline.
2:49:18
Like, if we, like, if we were to create a, like, comprehensive plan.
2:49:22
Right?
2:49:23
Like, the value of that would be in creating something that we agree to, like, simple agreement that, like, we can later, like, revise and say, hey.
2:49:30
Like, that's what we agreed to.
2:49:32
Like, we don't have to go through these complicated processes, and it, like, speeds things up.
2:49:36
Right?
2:49:36
So, you know, I guess I also wanted to maybe just address a little bit of this, like, you know, you know, what, you know, what is the community in New York?
2:49:45
Like, you know, oh, you're a gentrifier.
2:49:47
Right?
2:49:48
Like, hearing from the back.
2:49:49
Like, the you know, it's like it's like, you know, I've been living here for eight years.
2:49:53
Right?
2:49:53
Like, I'm a renter.
2:49:55
You know?
2:49:55
And, like, you know, my friends are here.
2:49:57
I've I've lived here.
2:49:58
I've been coming to New York, and, like, this is my home.
2:50:00
Right?
2:50:00
Like and, you know, like, I think that, like, the ordinary
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:50:04
Please, if you could let please.
2:50:06
I mean, we were all respectful and everybody else felt that way.
Michael Abrahams
2:50:08
Ordinary or or ordinary renters are just trying to survive here.
2:50:11
Like, you know, we just want, like, prices to, like, come down.
2:50:15
Like, the you know, we just wanna be able to live here.
2:50:18
And so, like, you know, I I, yeah, I just I just wanna, like like, you know, ask that, like, you know, that that, you know, or, you know, allowing allowing people to build housing for for, like, you know, people who wanna live here, like, that is New York.
2:50:33
Like, those are we are New Yorkers too.
2:50:36
So yeah.
2:50:37
Thank you so much.