Andrea Goldwyn of New York Landmarks Conservancy testifies on fast track and historic districts
She opposes fast track and fair housing growth strategy, says they will lead to demolition of existing affordable housing and remove public participation, and concerns about historic districts.
Good afternoon, Chair Riley and Councilmember Brewer.
I'm Andrea Goldwyn speaking on behalf of the New York Landmarks Conservancy.
The Conservancy has a long record of supporting existing housing that is affordable and the conversion of underutilized buildings into more affordable housing.
Like others, we support comprehensive planning that creates certainty for New Yorkers.
But we can't support the affordable housing fast track and the fair housing growth strategy as incorporated into block by block.
These plans will lead to the demolition of existing affordable housing in favor of unlimited new construction.
And they remove public participation from the land use process.
Most residents and council members welcome affordable housing, but have questions about adding massive new development without any support for improving infrastructure.
The plans that the administration proposes forget the lessons of the past, when government czars such as Robert Moses had boundless power and neighborhoods were routinely demolished.
Many neighborhoods with historic districts are already the densest and most crowded.
They are almost completely built out.
The fair housing growth targets will put more development pressure on these historic districts and surrounding areas, especially the older, smaller buildings that often contain smaller, less expensive apartments.
The report calls for enormous increases in the rate of housing unit growth in the upper echelons.
East and Upper West Sides.
But as Councilmember Brewer has pointed out here and elsewhere, CD7 on the Upper West Side contains NYCHA units, temporary supportive housing, SROs, and subsidized housing.
It had a net loss of over 15,000 rent-stabilized units over 15 years, which the city and state did not stop.
The Conservancy supports appropriate new construction in historic districts, and we've testified in favor of many such proposals at the Landmarks Commission.
However, adding the equivalent of another borough across the entire city or several hundred super tall towers in any neighborhood will put untenable strains on infrastructure and services, and it will lead to the demolition of
existing housing that defines New York's diverse neighborhoods and diverse, excuse me, unique identity.
Thank you for the opportunity to present the Conservancy's views.
Thank you.
Next we'll hear from Emma.