Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.

TESTIMONY

Testimony by Marjorie Velasquez, Former City Council Member, on member deference and the challenges of approving affordable housing

0:26:28

·

4 min

Former Bronx City Council Member Marjorie Velasquez shares her experience supporting an affordable housing project in her district, illustrating the intense challenges posed by the current land use review process and the practice of member deference.

She describes facing extreme opposition, including doxing, death threats, and intimidation, simply for being open to and eventually negotiating a deal for much-needed housing.

Velasquez argues that member deference empowers small, vocal minorities to obstruct essential projects and places an unsustainable burden on elected officials, ultimately hindering the city's ability to address the housing crisis.

  • Velasquez faced intense backlash for supporting a 349-unit housing proposal (including 168 affordable units) in Throgs Neck.
  • The practice of "member deference" allows a small minority to derail projects by focusing pressure on the local council member.
  • She experienced severe harassment, including death threats and a break-in, requiring police protection.
  • Velasquez believes the current system, reliant on council members enduring such abuse, is broken and cannot solve the housing crisis.
  • She calls for charter reform to lessen the burden on council members and facilitate affordable housing approval.