Sherease Torain
2:23:29
I'm speaking in my like the gentleman just said, I'm speaking in my own personal capacity as well.
2:23:36
So first, I'd like to thank you all for the opportunity to testify today.
2:23:41
My name is Charisse Sarain, and I am a lifelong New Yorker, Brooklynite, a housing justice advocate, and a descendant of intergenerational black homeownership in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
2:23:59
I speak today not only on behalf of my family, but for the countless black homeowners across the city who are being erased by defraud, gentrification, and the systemic failures of our current current housing government structure.
2:24:20
New York City Charter must be revised to address the blatant gaps in housing enforcement homeowner home homeowner protections and equity accountability, While billions are invested in tenant protection, which is fantastic, and housing development, there is no centralized charter mandated office or enforcement mechanism to protect existing homeowners, especially black seniors, black women, black disabled, all a part of the protected class from d theft, equity fraud, tax lien abuse, and illegal evictions.
2:25:05
This is not just policy neglect.
2:25:09
It is structural violence.
2:25:12
Since this is a civil rights issue, which is not being addressed let me repeat.
2:25:18
Since this is a civil rights issue and a criminal issue, which is not being addressed by taxpayers, I urge the Charter to revision I I urge the Charter Revision Commission to create a home ownership protection division within the New York City Commission on Human Rights with legal and investigative authority Second, to mandate public reporting on racial disparities in housing enforcement.
2:25:57
Once again, to mandate public reporting on racial real racial disparities in housing enforcement by federal zip code and agency include defraud.
2:26:11
In order for anything to be equitable, we have to include defraud, equity theft, and housing displacement as enforceable violations of civil and human rights in the city charter.
2:26:25
Because Black Brooklyn isn't Black anymore, as the other, woman had said previously.
2:26:32
The Black community me community makes up such a large portion of the voting rights I mean, voting population.
2:26:40
However, they have been displaced.
2:26:42
They have been erased, and they are no longer.
2:26:45
We're in the You guys are in the great Mega Eves.
2:26:48
I grew up in this community.
2:26:49
I went to Bishop Laughlin.
2:26:51
Yet we have been erased.
2:26:52
This is no longer my community.
2:26:55
I feel like I'm someplace else.
2:26:58
Include defraud, equity theft, and housing displacement.
2:27:04
It is our human rights.
2:27:06
Establish a citywide homeowner bill of rights integrated into the charter to ensure due process, language access, and trauma informed legal care for families facing property theft and displacement.
2:27:22
My beloveds, today, if there's any empathy in this room, if there's any care, there's any compassion, we cannot build a just housing future while leaving black families a long and longtime homeowners to fend for themselves any longer with just talk and light fake legislation.
2:27:45
The charter must reflect the real values of equity enforcement and repair.
2:27:51
I thank you, my beloved, for listening, but we are the children.
2:27:54
I'm the granddaughter of the civil rights movement.
2:27:57
Everyone is here because of the backs of my people.
2:28:02
Malcolm x's birthday.
2:28:04
The beloved Malcolm x.
2:28:06
It is everyone's duty to do what's best for my people because everyone is bidding fitting because of our people.
2:28:16
Everyone here do what's right for the grandchildren and the children of the civil rights movement.
2:28:22
Black Brooklyn is no longer black anymore.
2:28:24
And some people may be happy.
2:28:25
Please don't cut me off, beloved.
2:28:27
Let's just do what's right.
2:28:29
Please have equity for black Brooklyn homeowners as well because we are also the taxpayers.
2:28:35
Thank you for listening.
