Commissioner Levy on climate resilience, Housing Connect, and bill positions

I want to take the last few minutes to address the several bills currently under consideration by the Council.

Councilmember Nurse's Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, COPA, will allow capable not-for-profit purchasers to preserve affordable units,

address hazardous conditions, and avoid speculative transactions that lead to harassment and displacement.

We support this legislation and believe it is aligned with our larger housing preservation goals.

Next, I want to thank Councilmember Sanchez for sponsoring Intro 1015, which will reauthorize the J51 tax incentive.

J51 is a critical tool to ensuring aging building systems can be upgraded, vacant units can be

quickly brought back online, and that both rental buildings and co-ops can make the energy efficiency improvements needed to comply with the mandates under Local Law 97.

We also support the goals of Councilmember Banks'proposed legislation authorizing electronic registration of properties,

Councilmember Ressler's bill on visibly identifying property owners, Councilmember Brewer's legislation on physical street numbers, and Councilmember Epstein's bill to advance commercial conversions.

We look forward to engaging with the Council to ensure that the goals outlined in these legislative proposals are achieved as efficiently as possible.

As always, I

I want to thank the Council for your deep commitment and partnership in working to solve the city's housing challenges and for your willingness to work closely with this administration

on finding bold and innovative solutions to ensuring that New York City is a decent, safe, and affordable place to live.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify, and I look forward to answering your questions.

Thank you so much, Commissioner.

All right.