Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
REMARKS
Commissioner Valerie White on her experience and the multifaceted benefits of affordable housing
0:27:49
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3 min
Commissioner Valerie White, serving on a commission for the first time, expresses her pride in the final report and her work as an affordable housing professional.
She highlights that increasing affordable housing not only has economic benefits but also improves social determinants of health, making New Yorkers stronger.
While disappointed that an agreement on open primaries wasn't reached, she agrees that the issue requires more study before changes are made.
Valerie White
0:27:49
I wanna just say thank you to the commission.
0:27:52
And, again, I won't even say what's said with your quote again.
0:27:57
But, yes, this was the first time I had the opportunity to do something like this, to sit on a commission, to hear from my fellow New Yorkers.
0:28:07
And I made it my business to be here in person every single time because I thought that it was really, really important to understand the needs of our fellow citizens of New York and to take that into account as we deliberated on these very important issues.
0:28:23
I am really, really proud of the report.
0:28:25
I've been an affordable housing professional since, 1991.
0:28:31
And for those of you that know tax credits, that's when tax credits were 35 the first time before, the the end of the market.
0:28:39
And, just looking at the opportunity and the ability to fast track and make available more opportunity for production, which will not only allow people a safe place to live we talked about the economic impact of housing and affordable housing but there's also the social determinants of health.
0:28:59
All of these issues that having a safe, affordable place to live make our New Yorkers stronger.
0:29:05
So I was just very pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of the discussion.
0:29:11
I do hope that we come have the opportunity to hear from a future commissioner or someone else on the issue of open primaries, not just open primaries, different ways to make elections fair and accessible for everyone.
0:29:30
Voting is the key right that we have as citizens, and, you know, we debate it quite a bit, and I continue to feel that there does need to be some change.
0:29:42
But as Commissioner Savino mentioned, there are a number of different things that need to be studied before the opportunity to make those changes, you know, would be available.
0:29:53
So I agree with that as well.
0:29:54
But I do think it's something that it disappointed me that we weren't able to come to an agreement where we were all comfortable.
0:30:03
That being said, thank you, Chair Burry.
0:30:06
This is the first time I met you.
0:30:08
I had the opportunity to work with you, Vice Chair Greenberger, the rest of the commissioners.
0:30:14
I actually enjoyed the exhaustive opportunity to hear from my fellow New Yorkers.
0:30:21
Thank you to Alec and staff, who were just amazing, and I had the opportunity to get to know them.
0:30:27
And they were very gracious and helpful in just providing us with information and research and encouraging us to participate.
0:30:34
And to my fellow New Yorkers who submitted written testimony as well as those that came in person, I just, again, was overwhelmed at the strength of us as New Yorkers with our passion and our determination to make the city better.
0:30:51
And I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to hear from, my fellow New Yorkers.
0:30:55
So I thank you.