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| Vicki Been |
Relaxing requirements to have parking lots at senior and affordable residences within reach of subways would free up space and money to build apartments, city officials testified Wednesday at a second day of hearings on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s housing plan.
“Three unnecessary parking spaces are the equivalent of two units of affordable housing,” Housing Commissioner Vicki Been said. Officials said spots in parking structures can cost $50,000 to build, taking into account design, materials and labor.
But City Council members from the outer reaches of Queens and Brooklyn challenged how so-called transit zones — where parking requirements for developers would be waived — were drawn. They said public transportation options and other amenities must be improved before the parking is taken away.
“Senior citizens and other residents are not sardines,” Mark Treyger, a Democrat representing parts of southern Brooklyn that have seen bus line cuts, told Newsday. “They need to be mobile, they need to get to doctors’ appointments, they need to live out the golden years of their lives.”
From DNA Info:
The minimum size for a senior would be 275 square feet, which Queens Councilman Donovan Richards suggested is too small.
"I just know from my own grandmother, she couldn’t fit her hats in an apartment that size," he said.
Brooklyn Councilman David Greenfield flagged the issue of allowing senior developments up to 65 feet tall in low-density residential districts that currently have a maximum building height of 35 feet.
The residents of those neighborhoods "want their small little homes with their little driveways," Greenfield said. "They're not looking necessarily for that influx."
City Planning Commissioner Carl Weisbrod indicated he was open to negotiation, but Been balked.
"I completely understand the concern. I also just want to point out that seniors come from every neighborhood," both low rise and high rise, she said. "They want to stay in their neighborhoods but they don't want to be trapped in a building that doesn't have an elevator."
Greenfield suggested the administration require a special Board of Standards and Appeals permit for tall buildings in those low-slung neighborhoods so "there would be more review."
Been objected to adding in a community board review process.
"I feel very passionately about this, because I have to look seniors in the eye and say, 'I'm sorry, but we have a waiting list of seven years. That's probably longer than you'll be alive,'" she said.
22 comments:
The city's senior services are woefully lacking. That's why my husband and I, currently in Bayside, will retire to Great Neck: access to the world-class Nassau County Library System, great senior center, wonderful parks and pools. We can just as easily buy a $500,000+ co op or condo in Great Neck as we can in Bayside, with much better services.
Remember this bullshit in November and vote these bums out !
Officials said spots in parking structures can cost $50,000 to build, taking into account design, materials and labor.
Coming from the folks that build dog runs for $$millions$$ not to mention bike lanes for even more $$millions$$.
The feds need to be called in, something is very wrong here people!
Been objected to adding in a community board review process.
"I feel very passionately about this, because I have to look seniors in the eye and say, 'I'm sorry, but we have a waiting list of seven years. That's probably longer than you'll be alive,'" she said.
What a crass fucking bitch. I wonder where her mother lives if she is still alive.
"I'll give you my car when you pry it from my cold, dead hands" (apologies to the NRA).
Well, I will say it's nice for once to see some Dem Council members standing up to the Mayor Big Slow's cronies.
With age comes reduced size living spaces. That is Der Wilhelm's solution.
Then from micro apartment to casket. Your space is too valuable and is needed for denser development.
In old Soviet Moscow...it was not uncommon for the underworld to murder the elderly (for a price) by luring them out of their apartments on a trip.
Oops...a tragic accident occurs and a new living space in Moscow is freed up for the person who hired the murderer.
Sieg heil, Der Wilhelm...Der Mayor with the soul of an East German Stassi chief!
Meanwhile De Blah-Blah has a spacious Park Slope townhouse to retire in.
No sardine can for him after his first and final term as demented mayor of New York.
Dante and his First Lady can live happily ever after.
Been lives in a great condo in the West Village that was funded by her and her husband's employer, NYU.
She doesn't need a car to do her food shopping, go to the doctor, go to religious services, visit friends and family because she has access to the best local mass transit system in the USA. Those who live in the boroughs do not have that access. We have limited subways, buses and need car services to get around.
Screw her and her limousine liberal attitudes toward the seniors.
I'd like to see Vicki Been live in a 275 square foot hovel.
Remember this bullshit in November and vote these bums out !
Sorry but, it's not 'til next year.
So what does your councilman say - ask him the next time he is using you for a photo op in the senior center.
So the politburo has decided seniors don't need cars?
"Sorry but, it's not 'til next year."
Every November counts at the polls.
The elitist progressive mentally disturbed jokers want everybody around here to live like sardines in a can.
After that they can implement the great Chinese vision from 40 years ago, every family should have at least one bike.
You see? Problem solved.
I told you you'd miss Bloomberg. Infinitely better, despite many flaws.
Stop voting socialist.
Mayor and now candidate fun size is responsible for implementing and fast track zoning of all these twisted ideas of AAMI housing for the destitute, elderly and the frivolous spending, unquestioning and narcissistic hipshits yearning to live beyond their means by any means necessary to "experience" manhattan or more likely brooklyn, and when those fail, queens, which is why "affordable luxury" is coming to once unconsidered now hot towns like Jamaica, Ridgewood and even Rockaway.
if only one can vote socialist, because the two party system has been hoodwinking the electorate for decades.
As for candidate fun size, the flaws outweigh his minor successes, which were spending exorbitant amounts of money on campaigns, amassing a cabal of his billionaire peers and a gutless city council to circumvent and supercede electoral laws for an illegal third term, and become 30 times wealthier after he finished his failed third term. Don't forget city time and running the NYPD like some CIA unit and the manipulation of crime stats and various violations of the 4th amendment.
And now he's going to ruin the country (he feels he has to run now, even his announcement was banal). I rather have Sanders or even Trump than this worm.
He was never missed. And with the way Mayor Big Slow is governing, he has never left.
I like how they say 'within walking distance of subways' etc. Seriously? SERIOUSLY?
We all know how many subway stations are ADA complaint... it is a sad small number. Do they really think seniors can handle all the stairs that most of us take for granted?
There's a reason why old people drive... for some it is the only way they can get anywhere.
Most Queens voters I talk to just gave up and don't vote anymore or just vote for the incumbents. We need new incorruptible elected officials in NYC government and flush away the unethical crooked hacks. Very few should remain in office and most should be recalled immediately !
I don't miss Bloomberg. He should not have stolen a third term !
One of the few things he did that was worthy was his smoking ban.
Unfortunately, I do have to agree with you about Bloomberg.
Sigh...now I miss the old Boston brat.
Duh Blasio is a train wreck!
I told you you'd miss Bloomberg
What was, is he anyway?
Republican, Democrat?
Or anything that money can buy?
How soon you people forget the bike lanes, the actions or lack of after snowstorms, the bought and paid for 3rd term.
These are our choices?
Really?
Don't we already pay for all the seniors to have Access-a-Ride?
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