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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Gabriel Turzo from Manhattan Community Board 6 on the value of ULURP for community input
3:08:31
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131 sec
Gabriel Turzo, Second Vice Chair of Manhattan Community Board 6, testifies about his board's active advocacy for affordable housing and successful collaborations through ULURP, citing the SPARK Kips Bay project.
He argues against weakening ULURP for expediency, emphasizing that community boards provide vital local knowledge and public input leads to better projects.
CB6 urges the commission to preserve the public's voice and seat at the table via community boards.
Gabriel Turzo
3:08:31
Good evening, and thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today.
3:08:34
My name is Gabriel Terzo, and I'm the second vice chair of Manhattan Community Board six, which represents a 55,000 New Yorkers in Manhattan Community District 6.
3:08:43
Community Board 6 has a long history of advocating for affordable housing within our East Midtown District.
3:08:49
Rather than opposing new housing construction, we actively seek more affordable housing options.
3:08:53
While advocating for affordable housing by working closely with applicants, agency partners, our elected officials, ULARP formalizes collaboration and ensures that there's an opportunity to address community concerns.
3:09:05
A recent example of this successful partnership is a SPARK KIPS Bay ULURP application, which involved redeveloping city owned property in our district.
3:09:14
Through collaboration between the applicant, our our city council member, and Manhattan Community Board six, the project was able to address multiple needs within the district.
3:09:22
While the project did not ultimately include housing, community input through EULARB led to the preservation of several hundred units of affordable student housing.
3:09:31
And furthermore, thanks to our consistent advocacy, the city committed to developing a comprehensive housing plan for Manhattan Community District 6.
3:09:40
And, you know, in other words, we don't wanna be protected from development.
3:09:42
We are seeking development.
3:09:45
But some may seek to dispense dispense with our significantly weakened eulerp for the sake of expediency.
3:09:52
But the community boards were the first point of contact with their city government that many New Yorkers have.
3:09:57
We see ULURP as a critical mechanism for better decision making through public input.
3:10:03
Local residents possess valuable insights into what works sorry.
3:10:06
My voice.
3:10:07
Works and what doesn't work in their communities that we can share with our elected officials.
3:10:12
Public input leads to better designs, more thoughtful zoning changes, and development that complements rather than conflicts with our neighborhoods.
3:10:20
While many competing voices must be heard in land use decisions, the voice of New York City's communities must always be among them.
3:10:26
Community boards offer a vital venue for the public's voice to be heard and shared, ensuring that New York's New Yorkers have a seat at the table.
3:10:33
We look forward to working with our council members to maintain and enhance our residential community.
3:10:38
Members of this Charter Reform Commission, we ask that you preserve New Yorker's seat at the table.
3:10:41
Thank you.