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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kaitlyn Schuster, Representative from SEIU Local 32BJ, on ULURP changes and housing production
0:47:13
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145 sec
Kaitlyn Schuster, representing SEIU Local 32BJ, expresses the union's recognition of the housing crisis and the constraints of the current land review process. However, she emphasizes that the Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP) is an important democratic institution for community and labor engagement with developers on projects shaping New York City.
Schuster states that SEIU Local 32BJ is concerned with proposed ULURP changes that would apply to all actions regardless of project size. The union has used ULURP to defend industry standard wages and benefits.
Kaitlyn Schuster
0:47:13
Good evening, members of the Charter Revision Commission.
0:47:16
My name is Caitlin Shuster.
0:47:17
I'm here on behalf of SEIU Local thirty two BJ.
0:47:20
Thirty two BJ is the largest union of property service workers in the country.
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We represent over a 75,000 members across 13 states, including over 90,000 in New York.
0:47:32
Thirty two BJ understands the urgency of the housing crisis, and our union recognizes that the city's ability to maximize housing production is constrained in part by the land review process in its current form.
0:47:44
At the same time, we believe that the city's uniform land use review process is an important democratic institution through which community members and groups, including labor unions, have the opportunity to engage developers on the projects that shaped New York City.
0:47:58
Through decades of involvement in EULRP, our union has been able to defend hard won industry standard wages and benefits and to educate the real estate industry and legislators about the importance of creating good jobs in the property services sector.
0:48:12
Of the proposals discussed in the commission's preliminary report, thirty two BJ is concerned with proposed changes the land use review process, which would apply to all actions regardless of project size, such as those contained some of those contained in the section of the preliminary report titled general changes to ULURP.
0:48:32
Similarly, 32 would not support blanket proposals, which would allow affordable projects regardless of size, either to bypass the full ULURP or to access a separate approval process, such as one governed by the board of standards and appeals.
0:48:48
While 32 emphatically supports the construction of more affordable housing, this objective does not need to come at the expense of the public's ability to weigh in on large projects, which employ hundreds of New Yorkers and have great impacts on the communities where they're built.
0:49:03
On the other hand, our union is generally supportive of proposals which would streamline EULIP for modest projects, including upzonings which remain in low density r one to r five districts, small to medium sized developments in transit dense areas, and small to medium sized developments in neighborhoods which fail to meet housing production goals such as those outlined in the fair housing framework.
0:49:25
And with that, we look forward to continuing to work with the commission to ensure that its proposed revisions will balance the pressing need to build more housing with the preservation of representative democracy in the land use review process.
0:49:37
Thank you.
0:49:38
Thank you.