Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
TESTIMONY
Testimony by Samir Lavingia of Manhattan Community Board 5 in support of housing proposals
1:37:58
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98 sec
Samir Lavingia, Second Vice Chair of Manhattan Community Board 5, testifies in his personal capacity in support of the commission's housing proposals.
As a lifelong renter from a family of renters, he speaks about the constant risk of displacement due to the city's housing crisis.
He is a big fan of all four housing questions, including the expedited land use review and the appeals board, and believes it's important to take these issues straight to the voters.
- Lavingia speaks about his personal experience with the housing crisis and the risk of displacement for his family.
- He supports all four of the commission's housing proposals, including the expedited land use review procedure and the creation of a land use appeals board.
- He argues that the housing crisis is a citywide issue that requires a citywide lens.
- He believes voters clearly want land use reform and that the issues should be put on the ballot.
Samir Lavingia
1:37:58
Sorry.
1:37:58
My name is Sameer Lavinia.
1:37:59
I'm on my community board, Mehan community board five.
1:38:02
I'm the second vice chair there and the vice chair of the transportation committee.
1:38:05
And I have a number of other affiliations, but I wanna be clear that I'm purely speaking in a personal capacity.
1:38:10
I'm excited to see the proposals that the commission has put forward.
1:38:14
Land use is a critical issue in the city.
1:38:17
I come from a family of renters.
1:38:18
My family is all in New York City.
1:38:20
I live in Midtown.
1:38:21
My parents live in Midtown.
1:38:23
My brother and his wife and my recently born nephew live in Dumbo, and we are constantly at risk of displacement.
1:38:29
I wanna live in a city where I can be assured that I will be able to see my grandson or my sorry.
1:38:34
My nephew grow, and my parents can see their grandson grow up.
1:38:38
I'm a big fan of all the housing proposals, questions one through four.
1:38:42
The expedite expedited land use review procedure is a great plan, and City of Yes, especially in in District 5, was a great start with, City of Yes was a great start with the universal affordability preference.
1:38:54
And for housing to have this additional option to add a little bit more density is also a great, thing that we should add.
1:39:01
I'm also a big fan of the appeals board.
1:39:03
Our housing crisis does not end at the border of one district and start at the border of another.
1:39:08
It is a citywide issue, and it's important that we take a citywide lens.
1:39:13
Polling has shown that voters clearly want land use reform, and I understand why elected officials are cautious, but it's important that we take these issues straight to the voters.
1:39:24
The housing crisis is very urgent as we are seeing record low vacancy rates, and we should do anything we can to build more housing in the city to ensure that New Yorkers can stay.
1:39:34
Thank you.
1:39:35
Thank you so much.