 Nearly 200 civic leaders stand united against Hochul “Housing Compact”  Click above to watch press conference.
On Friday, February 24th, 2023, The Statewide Alliance Vs. Elimination of 1-Family Zoning in New York (S.A.V.E. 1-Family New York) held a significant press conference in Douglaston, New York. The event – with nearly 200 people in attendance from more than 75 organizations from the New York City Metropolitan Area – was laser-focused on Governor Hochul’s “Housing Compact” set of bills which, if adopted, will decimate communities throughout New York City, its suburbs and beyond. From blanket amnesty for illegal conversions in New York City to massive mandatory increases in density around all subway and train stations throughout the metropolitan area, Hochul’s plan would take away “home rule” from all cities, towns and villages throughout New York State, destabilizing our communities and paving the way for windfall profits for land speculators and developers. Below are excerpts from remarks of speakers at the press conference:
Paul Graziano, Co-Founder of S.A.V.E. 1-Family New York: This is an existential threat to our communities…we must stop this – and we must stop this permanently, because this is not the way to govern. The way to govern is to work with communities at the local level. To mandate density, with no rhyme or reason, is insane…It’s a sledgehammer approach to something that needs a needle and thread. Localities know what’s best for them and we should be the ones to make those decisions.
Sean Walsh, President of the Douglaston Civic Association:
We are asking all the elected officials to remove it [the “Housing Compact”] – not to negotiate on it – but to remove it from the budget and stop this nonsense about getting rid of one-family homes.
Warren Schreiber, President of the Queens Civic Congress:
We all know the challenge before us and the threat to our communities. The Queens Civic Congress strongly opposes Governor Hochul’s “Housing Compact” anyplace in New York State. There are no exceptions. We stand in unity with everyone here today.
Nora Haagenson, President of the Nassau County Village Officials Association:
We are the government closest to the people. We have direct insight into our communities and their individual nuances and characteristics, and we interact with our residents on a daily basis…Under no circumstances will the Nassau County Village Officials Association support any effort to undermine home rule and dilute the zoning powers granted to villages in the New York State Constitution, and we will use every available resource to thwart any misguided attempt to do so.
Al Centola, We Love Whitestone Civic Association:
This is what they want to do: they want to separate us. They want us thinking that we’re not the same. At the end of the day, we all are. They do not get to dictate to us what they change and how they change it.
Tuwaun Whitty, Director of Operations of Vision Long Island:
Yes, we believe in Transit-Oriented Development, but where it’s appropriate, where it’s asked for by the community…Long Island is a community of communities. Each community is like its own puzzle piece. It’s unique and different, but when you put them together, that’s what you get as a whole. The pieces are supposed to look different. Port Jeff looks different than Port Washington. That is intentional. That is by design. That is the character of that community. And this mandate violates that – completely.
Bryan Block, President of the Cambria Heights Civic Association:
We’ve worked hard for the American Dream, and we must maintain to keep the American Dream. How dare they take away the American Dream that our parents – and you folks that are sitting here this afternoon – worked for? No communication. No discussion. It’s unacceptable.
Michael Mallia, Land Use Chair of Community Board 13 Queens:
The sheer numbers of the proposal are frankly unrealistic…the numbers just don’t add up. The stated goal of the TOD legislation is more affordable housing with easy access to mass transit. However, these newly developed units would be market-rate housing.
Steve Wagner, President of the Armour Villa Neighborhood Association:
This is an issue that we oppose, all of the associations in southern Westchester…when you hear about housing prices, it’s dangerous opportunity; the danger is that this bill is allowed to go through. The opportunity is for all of us – the real stakeholders – to make our voices heard, to let Albany know this is a non-starter, and then begin a conversation on how to do planning properly.
Yiatin Chu, President of the Asian Wave Alliance:
Asians are the fastest growing homeowners, with 44% of Asian households in New York City owning their homes. It is the American Dream to own a home, and many Asian families have chosen one-family communities in northeast Queens and Nassau to settle down. We’ve chosen to invest our life savings and plant roots in these neighborhoods, because of the good schools, good neighbors and the high quality of life. That would all be destroyed by Governor Hochul’s drastic housing development proposal…we cannot let this happen!
Joe Marzilliano, District Manager of Community Board 11 Queens:
Without mincing words – it’s ‘bonkers,’ it’s a bit of a doomsday device!
Michael Scotland, Past President of Addisleigh Park Civic Organization:
You need to come to the table with stakeholders…you cannot run roughshod over us and our communities by dictating mandates for us…this is what the people that we put in those positions are doing to us and, if they continue and don’t ride with us they will be out, plain and simple…those that are not supporting us in this endeavor will be out.
Henry Euler, President of the Auburndale Improvement Association:
The main thing that’s really bothering me – and I think most people – is the fact that they’re doing this without consulting us. That’s terrible! That’s just not right at all. And, they’re mandating things that we don’t want.
Rev. Carlene Thorbs, Chair of Community Board 12 Queens:
This is no longer a time to be “Oh, it’s those people.” This is now the time to be “We fight together. We move together.” We have people in offices that forget that they were voted in, and that’s a problem. There is no way that one- and two-family homes should be under such a threat.
Paul DiBenedetto, President of the Bayside Historical Society / VP of Bellcourt Civic Association
All of Bellcourt would be put through this TOD plan. The TOD alone will destroy our entire neighborhood.
Sherry Reisner, VP of the Civic Association of Utopia Estates:
I’m against the proposed upzoning of communities. I’m against legalizing ADUs. The issue that’s causing the lack of affordable housing will not be solved by creating apartments that can literally cause a danger to its inhabitants, stress infrastructure and completely change the character of communities.
Price Olivier, Treasurer of the Concerned Citizens of Laurelton:
Take it out of the budget. Do not even think about voting on it. It is a NO-GO!
Jack Bolembach, Founder of Friends of Mount Manresa:
Staten Island has the same problems as you do. We have to stick together, we have to unify, and we have to get the word out about what’s going on here…people have to know, because it’s going to destroy the quality of life of our neighborhoods.
Liz Nacinovich, President of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association:
I grew up in this neighborhood. I have been in this neighborhood since I was born. It was my dream to own a home in this neighborhood, to raise my family in this neighborhood and this would be a disaster to our neighborhood and our way of life…we need single-family housing. We need these types of neighborhoods. They can’t take this away from us.
Bill Perkins, VP of the Rosedale Civic Association: I’ll tell you two things that this isn’t: This isn’t good government…this isn’t affordable housing, because affordable housing isn’t market-rate and an accessory dwelling unit in the back of your house. These things aren’t happening with the bill that the Governor is proposing. Isn’t this deja vu all over again? Our mantra in Southeastern Queens which is, I think, everybody’s mantra here is “Who’s Looking Out for Us?” PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND LOCAL CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS. |
