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Q&A
Discussion on City Council housing target approval and process contingencies
0:25:17
·
156 sec
Commissioner Leila Bozorg questions Barika Williams on the mechanics of the City Council voting process for housing targets and potential outcomes if a majority approval isn't reached.
Williams outlines two approaches: one where failure to reach consensus defaults to the administration's proposed targets, and another where targets are tied to the city budget process. Howard Slatkin briefly clarifies a point from his earlier testimony about automated determination of inadequate housing production based on objective data.
Leila Bozorg
0:25:17
Thank you both for your testimony.
0:25:21
Breeka, on the, council voting process, have you guys thought through kind of how that plays out if the council can't get a majority of folks to approve?
0:25:31
I'm trying to imagine a situation, especially because if in a world where it's up down, I read the the testimony, and it is really just about targets, there's not much more to negotiate on in the way that, you know, like, a big budget might be negotiated.
0:25:44
What would be the kind of is it about having a clock so they have to either do up down by a certain time, or how would if we can't get a majority to approve it, would the process fall apart?
0:25:56
Just talk walk through a little bit how it would play out if you can't get counsel to
Barika Williams
0:26:01
I hope Chris is over my shoulder, not gonna kick me from afar and that I'm
Kathryn Wylde
0:26:04
in this Wait.
Sharon Greenberger
0:26:05
I'd love to hear
Kathryn Wylde
0:26:05
sure you guys have thought about it, so I'm very curious.
Leila Bozorg
0:26:07
Like So I yeah.
0:26:08
It's, like,
Barika Williams
0:26:08
two approaches.
0:26:10
One gets a little bubblier.
Chanel Porter
0:26:12
Yeah.
Barika Williams
0:26:13
And then the other one maybe is a little bit cleaner, but maybe a little more com just uncomfortable for council members.
0:26:20
So one is if council members as a body can't come to a consensus, it now goes into the administration.
0:26:27
Right?
0:26:27
It goes into What was proposed?
Leila Bozorg
0:26:29
Basically, it defaults to the
Julie Samuels
0:26:30
plan?
0:26:30
Okay.
0:26:31
Okay.
Barika Williams
0:26:31
The plan.
0:26:31
Right?
Leila Bozorg
0:26:32
Okay.
0:26:32
That makes sense.
Barika Williams
0:26:33
You all as council members can you all
Leila Bozorg
0:26:35
Come up with some other mix that you're comfortable with.
Barika Williams
0:26:39
Sorry.
0:26:41
But either you all as council members can can come up with something, or it will default back to what the administration came up with.
0:26:50
In our mind, that sort of balances out checks and balances of powers.
0:26:55
Figure it out.
0:26:56
Come to some consensus in a room.
0:26:58
We all know it's never that clean or neat.
0:27:00
But, the way to exercise a counterbalance to the mayor's administration is to to formulate your own set of numbers and targets that you pass.
0:27:10
The other version would be to tie the targets in with the budget process for the city.
0:27:16
So in a sense, sort of folding it into a big ugly type vote, tying it into money.
0:27:25
And so you don't get your money if you don't get if you don't have this.
0:27:30
Right?
0:27:30
So tying your carrot and stick.
0:27:32
I'm not sure
Howard Slatkin
0:27:32
which one is which.
Sharon Greenberger
0:27:33
That's helpful.
0:27:34
Should we
Leila Bozorg
0:27:34
I had a follow-up.
0:27:35
Sorry.
0:27:36
Is that okay?
0:27:37
Sorry.
0:27:37
I was just hoping the
Carrie Lobman
0:27:41
Howard, the
Leila Bozorg
0:27:42
last thing you were trying to explain that you didn't quite have time for, I just wanted if you have a moment to elaborate on that.
Sharon Greenberger
0:27:48
No.
0:27:48
Sorry.
0:27:48
Oh,
Kathryn Wylde
0:27:50
you did?
0:27:50
Yeah.
Howard Slatkin
0:27:50
I think that was that was
Leila Bozorg
0:27:51
Oh, I didn't.
0:27:52
Okay.
0:27:52
I will read the answer.
0:27:53
Sorry.
0:27:53
I didn't get that.