Council Member Brewer challenges Chair Sherman on Upper West Side targets

I'm just telling you, you haven't been around that long and I have.

I recognize that.

And I recognize your commitment to your district and commitment to affordable housing.

We have an opportunity now to figure out how we fast track affordable housing together.

Okay, I understand that in what we're going to vote on November 3rd, I'm voting against all of them, just so you know.

But understand that the 7% is even an increased amount of projected wanted housing on the Upper West Side.

How the hell are you going to get what you had before?

I'm sorry.

Okay, they were voting on the ballot initiatives.

Oh, okay.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

I hate them, just so you know.

And so the question is, understanding that in that ballot, there will be a projected even more required housing on the Upper West Side than there was in the past.

You're trying to get 12,000 units or some crazy amount out of the Upper West Side.

Where are you going to get that?

So with respect to the affordable housing fast track voted in the last election, there is not a numeric target that's required, right?

Yeah, but whatever's on the bottom 12 is where it ends up.

But we've created a rate, and the rate is relative to your overall housing production.

We have housing production.

You just don't count it because it's conversion and not new.

I have three conversions, and you don't count them because they're not new.

So it does have to be new affordable housing units.

Yes.

And so it is a rate, though, so there's not a raw number.

There's a way in which in the next five-year calculation, the Upper West Side may look very different based on the rate.

I don't care about five years.

I only care about now.

Okay, well, the next five years is when the calculation would happen again.

So the only way to change it is to go to court.

Is that correct?

The only way to change this is to go to court.

So we're focused on implementation.

I'm focused on changing it and going to court.

Thank you very much.

Understood.

Understood.

I almost did not want to stop Councilmember Bruick.

I was scared.

She's extremely, extremely frustrated at this process.

So thank you, Councilmember Brewer.

Councilmember Santus-Wosso, followed by Councilmember Lee.