Mangin opening statement: DCP work on neighborhood rezonings and citywide actions
Mangin outlines his 12 years at City Planning working on neighborhood rezonings including SoHo-NoHo, Jamaica, Gowanus, and Midtown South, plus citywide actions like MIH and City of Yes, praising the Council's pro-housing record and role in carrying City of Yes across the finish line.
That wasn't the point.
The point was improving access and participation.
This carried over to my work with Fair Share Housing in New Jersey, an organization which grew out of the landmark Mount Laurel Fair Housing rulings in the 70s and 80s.
The Mount Laurel Doctrine recognizes that decisions made by suburbs have consequences for a far broader circle of New Jersey residents whose voices and interests should not be excluded from those decisions.
There, I worked to develop affordable rental and homeownership projects in areas of the state with great schools, access to open space, and other amenities that we all deserve.
I've also carried the spirit of this work through my 12 years at the Department of City Planning.
That's included neighborhood rezonings, Soho-Noho, Jamaica, Gowanus, AIMUP, LIC, Midtown South, Jerome Avenue, and many others.
Where city planning went site by site with stakeholders to map out a new future for a neighborhood and partnered with individual council members and local communities on historic packages of capital.
improvements and other community benefits to support that new housing.
In this work, I've had the pleasure of working with faith-based organizations across the city, local civic groups, community boards, and many more groups to identify those local needs and opportunities.
That work at City Planning also includes citywide actions, including mandatory inclusionary housing, zoning for quality and affordability, and leading City of Yes for housing opportunity.
I believe that, among other things, City of Yes was the best, most inclusive conversation about housing that this city has ever had.