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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Cormac Slade Byrd, Member of the Public, on limitations to by-right housing development
2:25:35
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104 sec
Cormac Slade Byrd, a Brooklyn resident and data scientist, testifies about the limitations on as-of-right housing development in New York City.
His analysis of city tax lots reveals that only about 20% of city lot area (12% in Manhattan) could accommodate a building even twice its current size due to various restrictions, meaning four-fifths of the land is effectively at its maximum feasible by-right development. Byrd urges the commission to draft charter amendments that make significant room for new housing, rather than minor fixes, to address the housing emergency.
- Analysis of NYC tax lots shows only 27% of city lot area has capacity for buildings twice their current size; this drops to ~20% (12% in Manhattan) due to landmarking, air rights, and special zoning.
- This implies that on 80% of city land, the largest economically feasible by-right building already exists.
- Even a scenario where all feasible by-right lots are built to maximum by 2030 would increase citywide floor area by less than 25%.
- Urges the commission to think big and create charter amendments for substantial housing growth.
Cormac Slade Byrd
2:25:35
Good evening, vice chair Greenberger and commissioners.
2:25:38
My name is Cormac Slade Bird.
2:25:40
I'm a Brooklyn resident, data scientist.
2:25:42
And for my third testimony, I'm discussing the hard ceiling we placed on buy right housing.
2:25:47
I analyzed all 857,000 New York City tax lots using the Department of City Planning's Pluto dataset.
2:25:54
Here's what the data showed.
2:25:55
Only 27% of city lot area could hold a building even twice the size of what stands there now.
2:26:01
Landmark protections, transferred air rights, n 90 special zoning districts cut that to about 20% citywide and just 12% in Manhattan.
2:26:11
On four fifths of our land, you're looking at the largest building that is economically feasible by right.
2:26:17
Now imagine a miracle.
2:26:18
Every economically feasible by right lot is built to its maximum size by 2030.
2:26:23
Total citywide floor area would rise by less than one quarter, nowhere near what an emergency demands.
2:26:29
That optimistic scenario, very optimistic, assumes no tenant buyouts, easy financing, perfect lot geometry.
2:26:38
Meanwhile, New York state is on track to lose three congressional seats in 2030 because we are zoning people out of the state.
2:26:45
Even under this build everything miracle, we would merely keep the same number of congressional seats.
2:26:51
The council has renewed the housings the council has renewed the housing emergency every year for half a century.
2:26:57
Your preliminary staff report shows you deeply understand the depth of the problem.
2:27:01
The executive director's letter spoke to me, and, frankly, it should move every New Yorker.
2:27:07
I have suggested specific fixes before, but tonight, my ask is simple.
2:27:10
Think big.
2:27:12
Draft charter amendments that make room for the next million New Yorkers instead of daring them to live elsewhere.
2:27:17
Thank you for your time.
Sharon Greenberger
2:27:19
Thank you so much.