Council Member Sanchez asks about Fair Housing Growth Strategy and affordable need

Thank you, Chair.

Next, we're going to hear from Councilmember Perina Sanchez.

Thank you so much, Chair Riley.

And this is a moment where I appreciate that housing is split among so many committees because it's just so much to talk about.

So I'm going to ask all my questions in succession.

First, thank you for meeting with us, the land use team, and our committee, taking some of our recommendations into consideration between the draft and final reports of the fair housing growth strategies.

Strategy, I was glad to see that access to transit and tidal flooding vulnerability have now been factored into the community district targets, but other factors specified in our local laws were not included.

Why did the administration not include specific long-term needs for affordable, deeply affordable, and formerly homeless units?

The draft and final plans speak only to the administration's commitments, but does not fully encompass the housing needs of New Yorkers.

And establishing the long-term need disaggregated by housing type is a clear requirement in local law.

Second, in some neighborhoods, channeling Councilmember Gail Brewer, generating new construction of affordable housing at scale may only be possible.

possible with demolition of existing rent-stabilized units or other existing properties?

Has DCP and HPD considered this in setting new construction targets?

Third, how did the administration arrive at a citywide target of 25% affordable housing with only 7.3% at a deeply affordable level?

And finally, the block-by-block housing plan proposes a new planning initiative for HPD called the Spotlight on the Bronx,

an intensive planning process to coordinate proactive government actions in community districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8, where HPD has financed tens of thousands of units of affordable housing, but planning for complete neighborhoods has lagged behind.

Can you provide us with a status update on whether the process has started?

How are you planning to engage community boards and local elected officials?

And do you have specific areas of the Bronx where you are going to be addressing quality of life barriers like improved sanitation and public space?

And finally, is HPD going to be coordinating a package of capital improvements for these areas and engaging partner agencies?

Thank you.

Chair, I'm just going to ask, some people can't hear you online, so if you could just talk a little bit more into the mic.

Sure.