CM Brewer questions on warehousing, mandatory inclusionary housing, and Wards Island

Thank you very much.

One of the questions a while ago was warehousing.

It's mostly a state issue, but we did pass a law some time ago stating basically your next door to something that is vacant.

It has problems in terms of the structure, blah, blah, blah.

I just know if any of those complaints have come to HPD or if you've been dealing with it.

We couldn't outlaw it.

It has to be done on the state, but we are trying to do something in between.

I understand.

Right now our focus on that issue is making sure that we have the technology capacity to go inspect vacant units.

It sounds like it should be easy, but to be frank, it's fairly complicated because our systems don't know how to recognize a unit that isn't occupied.

So we have been working with a technology company and meeting with some advocates, including folks at NYLAG, to make sure that we are moving swiftly to try to get that functionality up.

But yeah, that is on our agenda.

Thank you very much.

And then second, I don't think there's any, I thought maybe in New Jersey, but I could be wrong, this whole takings issue.

You cannot make

that a new development have affordable housing if they do not need to because it's within an as of right zoning.

Does that ever come up?

Because obviously in Manhattan in particular, we have, they stay within the zoning, they do not provide affordable housing, and it's very frustrating.

Obviously, there's always been a sense we cannot mandate affordable housing unless there's a change in the zoning, you know, this whole, which I've heard forever.

Has that ever been contemplated, or are we too nervous about the takings issue, and so therefore we cannot consider mandating affordable housing in every new building?

So I think you're thinking of like the New Jersey Mount Laurel, right, where there is a fair share obligation.

Yeah.

So certainly it's happened and it continues to be in the law in New Jersey.

So obviously it's possible.

I think we do a lot in New York City through all of the changes in zoning, all of the enticements, all of the funding that we're putting in for affordable housing.

You know, not being an attorney, I don't want to opine on the legality of that.

Right.

But I would say that it is certainly something we'd be happy to talk with you about more.

Okay.

I mean, trouble is in Manhattan.

In my area, it's all as of right, and they do not want to provide.

And so you end up in this horrible fast track situation, et cetera.

So I would love to see.

Every mandate, every new building being able to mandate affordable housing.

There is mandatory inclusionary zoning, so there was that.

But yes, I understand.

They don't do it.

They don't do it.

I understand your point.

They don't have to.

They don't.

If it's not a change in zoning, they don't have to.

The other question is, and the Commissioner of DOB knows all about my Wards Island issue.

I would like to see some affordable.

We have to have a mandated task force on could there be affordable housing on Wards Island.

Is that something that's on your agenda, playing this Robin thing that she's doing over there?

You're talking to her.

Yeah, she likes to ask questions like this.

So I said, hell, I'm going to ask.

Okay.

So you and I discussed Ward Island and also the challenges and the opportunities there.

And as you know, I reached out to you yesterday to follow up on some of these issues.

So I think we should continue talking about Ward Island.

That sounds great.

Thank you very much.