For Immediate Release: April 3rd, 2013

Contact: **Media Advisory**

Chris LaBarge | 646.574.2009 clabarge@council.nyc.gov

Council Members Mendez, Chin & Mark-Viverito Demand NYCHA Improve Infill Development Process To Empower Residents
Call for increased transparency, enhanced consultation, elongated timeline and ULURP review
ManhattanOn Friday, April 5th on the steps of City Hall, City Councilwoman Rosie MendezChair of the Committee on Public Housingand Council Members Margaret Chin and Melissa Mark-Viverito will be joined by other elected officials, Tenant Association Presidents, community organizations, advocates and concerned residents as they hold a press conference to demand that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) improve the Infill Development process to empower residents. The Council Members will then proceed to Council Chambers in City Hall to conduct an oversight hearing of NYCHAs Infill Development/land lease proposal and to consider a resolution that calls on NYCHA to engage its residents in planning for and to include certain requirements in any ground leases for NYCHA land. In addition to the provisions in the resolution, the Council members will call on NYCHA to hold themselves to a gold standard of resident and community engagement, including, without limitation: Additional time between Infill meetings at affected developments so that all affected Tenant Associations and residents can secure independent legal and technical assistance to review plans and make meaningful comments Additional time between now and the release of the RFPincluding a third meeting where residents and their technical advisory team can review a draft RFP and comment upon it before it is released NYCHA must ensure that all comments on the Infill plans are addressed and responded to; they must also provide a paper based system (to compliment the online portal) that captures the comments of those who do not have internet access. Lastly, suggestions should be centrally posted and logged for all residents to review NYCHA should commit to full Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) review for each Infill site, ensuring that the community has an effective voice in the process and that additional considerations and interconnected issues that major development presents are unilaterally addressed

What:

City Council Members Rosie Mendez, Margaret Chin and Melissa Mark-Viverito demand that NYCHA improve the Infill Development process to empower residents Friday, April 5th | 9:00 AM Steps Of City Hall, Manhattan

When: Where:

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