Zeynep Turan of Friends of Upper East Side testifies on preservation and deep affordability
She asks how Block by Block fits with other strategies, how it works in dense neighborhoods, and calls for preservation of existing affordable housing and replacement of demolished units.
Hi, Chair Riley.
My name is Zeynep Turan, and I'm here on behalf of Friends of the Upper East Side, a leading voice for common sense development since 1982.
Friends supports housing equity and recognizes New York City's urgent need for affordable housing.
We applaud Block by Block's ambitious 10-year target of adding 200,000 new affordable homes and the commitment to preserve more.
But we have three questions.
First, how does Block by Block fit into the city's broader housing strategy?
How will it coordinate with City of Yes Housing Opportunity and the Fair Housing Strategy to avoid overlapping targets, measure combined results, and ensure accountability?
Echoing Council Member Brewer and her frustration.
Second, we ask, how will this plan work in the city's densest neighborhoods, where underutilized land is scarce?
On the Upper East Side, particularly in Yorkville, low-rise multifamily buildings with rent-stabilized apartments are being replaced by luxury condominiums with zero affordable housing units.
How will block-by-block plan address this loss?
Success cannot be measured only by new homes built, but also must factor in affordable homes lost.
And to that end, between 2008 and 2025, Community District 8, our district, lost 14,793 rents.
stabilized apartments.
This makes preservation of existing affordable housing essential.
France calls on the city to require developers demolishing buildings with affordable apartments to replace every affordable unit demolished with an equivalent affordable unit built on site.
Third, how will the city preserve existing affordability, support landlords, and deliver deeper affordability on the Upper East Side?
And what specific measures will bring deeper affordability to the Upper East Side, a neighborhood that is increasingly becoming high cost for the low-income residents?
In conclusion, we urge the city to make preservation, deep affordability, and neighborhood-specific solutions central to this plan with an adequate public review process.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for your testimony.
Our next panel will consist of Dan Fortini, Anthony Orlowski, sorry for mispronouncing his name, Matthew Guliata, and Dave Parney.
We'll begin first with Dan, followed by Anthony, Matthew, then Dave.