Influence NYC Props before they go to voters this November

Send an email or testify live on 7/7

Housing is the task of our generation. And you can contribute.

Earlier this week, I attended the NYC debut of the housing documentary Fault Lines and speaker panel hosted by Open New York. On the panel, Maria Torres-Springer, former NYC First Deputy Mayor, said,

“Housing is the task of our generation. And we’re out of excuses.”

On that same panel, my City Council Member, Crystal Hudson said,

“The only people that complain about new housing are people who have housing.”

They’re right. New York City’s housing shortage is at its worst point in more than 50 years– we’re not building nearly enough to house all the people that want to live and work here. And some of the biggest barriers to new housing are neighbors that don’t want it in their backyards.

Maria and Crystal are both working tirelessly to solve the problem– Maria was instrumental in getting City of Yes passed (projected ~80,000 units over the next 15 years). Crystal voted for City of Yes and spearheaded the Atlantic Avenue Rezoning in her district (~4600 new units). These hard-fought wins will result in more housing not just by leveraging public dollars for affordable units, but also by decreasing the time and money that developers would otherwise have to spend to get through months of red tape and negotiation with neighbors.

You too can be part of the push to simplify and accelerate housing development - here’s how. The NYC Charter Revision Commission is currently weighing proposals to streamline housing production, especially affordable housing. Their proposals will go to the voters in November, but they’re still in the process of getting feedback to shape their recommendations.

They want to hear from you.

As with any proposals to streamline housing production, here’s who they’ll definitely hear from: groups that want to keep their control over the process, slow it down, and carve out exemptions and extract concessions that result in fewer units built. People like Benny Rosenberger, who sits on Brooklyn’s Community Board 9, where I also live (just east of Prospect Park). Benny gave testimony in person to the Charter Revision Commission in May, and because he’s on my community board, his voice carries weight on behalf of our community:

“Whether it's zoning or if it's transportation, the people who live next door… should have to sign off on it. Depending on how large the change is gonna be, how high the building is gonna be or what the density of the population is gonna be, you should have to increase the radius of the amount of property owners [who should weigh in]. These decisions affect the value of their property.”

Benny isn’t alone- many New Yorkers who share his perspective serve on community boards and show up to testify at meetings. For decades, these are the voices that have dominated the conversation.

It’s essential that those of us who support streamlining housing development make our voices heard too.

How to weigh in for more housing and more democracy

Open New York put together this helpful visual of the Charter Revision Process. We’re at the fourth step: Public Feedback.

Source: Open New York’s 5 Reforms for a Fairer and More Affordable NYC

The Charter Revision Commission has already done public hearings, drafted a report on their findings and proposals, and even drafted the language that will go into the city charter. Even though it might seem like everything is baked, your feedback still matters for a couple reasons:

1. Benny and his peers are still giving feedback— if the commission wants the proposals to win at the polls, and they think Benny’s perspective is more popular than yours, they can still dial back these proposals. On the other hand, broader public support for more inclusive policies could empower the Commission to strengthen and expand their proposals.

2. The Commission hasn’t decided yet whether to put Proposal 6 on the ballot. If you feel strongly about Proposal 6 (read more below), this is the time to weigh in.

Two options to participate: join live or submit by email

Joining Live

The last public input session is this Monday, July 7, 2025, 5:00pm – 8:00pm

• In-person: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Harlem

• Zoom: Virtual Meeting Details (Zoom) Meeting ID: 160 647 5785, Passcode: 230951

More details here

If you’re free on 7/7 to give testimony via zoom or in-person, do it! You can even steal Sebastian’s talking points to make it easy. Here’s video of Sebastian giving his feedback to the Commission:

Let's change the law to build more homes and strengthen NYC's elections

Submitting by Email

I can’t make it in person to the Charter Revision Commission’s meeting on 7/7, so I’m sending in written testimony instead.

Submit yours here.

Here’s my language that you can steal and tailor to your own values and context:

Dear Charter Revision Commission,

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed 2025 Charter Revisions.

As a current Brooklyn resident and a former Manhattan Community Board Member, I’m writing to express strong support for Proposals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, to make New York City more affordable and democratically representative.

I support Proposals 1-3 to fast track affordable housing, simplify review, and strike a better balance in the land use process. The city’s housing shortage demands bold action.

• Proposal 1 would make it easier and faster to produce affordable housing, lowering costs and ensuring that all neighborhoods contribute to solving this crisis. This reform is long overdue and essential to reversing the tide of displacement.

• Proposal 2 would streamline the approval process for smaller rezonings that add housing, protect against flooding, and create open space. These are exactly the kinds of projects that should not be delayed by red tape, and this proposal would allow the city to respond more nimbly to urgent infrastructure and climate needs.

• The current system of member deference gives individual councilmembers outsized power to block citywide priorities. Proposal 3’s new Appeals Board would ensure that development decisions reflect borough-wide and citywide considerations- not just the narrowest political interests.

I also support considering Open New York’s recommendations for a fairer and more affordable NYC, many of which are already very well-aligned with the commission’s proposals. I encourage the commission to dedicate additional time to exploring Open New York’s proposal to bring the housing shortage into landmarks decisions.

Proposal 5 is a no-brainer: moving local elections to even years would save the city money and dramatically increase turnout, especially among younger voters, working-class communities, and voters of color. This reform would help ensure that the voices shaping local government reflect the full diversity of our city.

I strongly encourage the Commission to move forward with Proposal 6. Open primaries would enfranchise the 1 million+ New Yorkers who are currently locked out of primary elections due to party registration rules. These voters deserve a voice in the elections that matter most in our one-party-dominated city. Open primaries would boost turnout in local elections, increase electoral competition, and encourage candidates to appeal to a broader cross-section of voters.

I urge the Commission to put all six measures on the November ballot so that voters can weigh in.

Sincerely,
Sachi Takahashi-Rial

Crown Heights 11225

Submit your testimony here.

From Monday's Open New York event: New York Premiere of the Fault Lines documentary & Insider Panel on Our Housing Future