Homeless & Housing Meeting Agenda: Tuesday, June 4, 2024
(MSCC) June 4, 2024, Time: 9:30 am-10:30 am, Location: ZOOM.US
SUMMARY
This meeting’s topics: GCN-MainChance Multi Service Center, is threatened by Mayor Adam’s budget cuts. Operating for 35-years they’ve served people who have been displaced by our economic system; the eviction cycle continues, we’re speaking with advocates on the ground about the court process, and someone who nearly avoided displacement. We’re also discussing Chelsea’s zoning implemented the 1996 Chelsea 197a plan, how it has developed since then, and how the NYCHA proposal’s alternatives relate to it.
CHAIR: John Mudd
WELCOME / INTRODUCTIONS
We appreciate all suggestions to help us run this meeting proficiently.
- Housekeeping (Zoom protocols) copying chat, muting, etc.
- Signing in: Please sign in with your name and organization
- Please email subject and speaker suggestions by the 15th of each month
- Items to Triage: To give time to pressing topics, please forward items at least 24 hours prior to meetings
- Introductions, welcoming new and old members (keeping it short and sweet)
- Need someone to summarize actions and followup
PURPOSE
The Homeless and Housing members, attendees, and speakers share knowledge, ideas, and resources to identify problems and find solutions to the homeless crisis.
5 min
POLICY MEETING UPDATES
The prior 8:30 Homeless and Housing Policy meeting wrap-up as presented by attending members.
2 min
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS
Council’s progress report on actions and initiatives.
- Farms!
- Web
- Vornado / ESD Development / Community-led plan
- Need Board and committee members ASAP
- Stay with us after for a block party organizing meeting
- Other
3 min
SPECIAL INTRODUCTION(S) AND OR UPDATES:
The below list of intros and updates are brief; everyone is welcomed to present for a planned lengthier discussion
- Elected officials/agencies—updates
- Katy Lesell, Right To Counsel
- Alex Yong, WSNA NYC, Member of the End Apartment Warehousing Coalition—Albany tripartite negotiations for Statewide Right To Counsel
- Charisma White
- Saving Public Housing Coalition
- Crista Edroi, UTA Court Advocate
- Others
- New attending members?
5 min
MAIN CHANCE DROP-IN SHELTER IS THREATENED
Main Chance has been operating in New York.
- The next step is the agency will be filing a motion in court.
- There have been several new stories and articles on the impending closing of the facility
Speaker(s): Antoine, Deputy Director, GCN-MainChance Multi Service Center, 120 East 32nd Street,
santoine@gcnssc.org, 212-883-0680 x124
20 min
CHELSEA 1996 ZONING IMPLEMENTATION
Chelsea’s zoning implemention of the 1996 Chelsea 197a plan, how it has developed since then, and how the NYCHA proposal’s alternatives relate to it.
Speaker(s): David Holowka, Architect, 25-year Chelsea Resident; Tom Lunke, 32-year resident of Chelsea with over 40 years of urban planning experience—30 of which was in the public sector
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING’S OFFICE OF TENANT ADVOCATE???
Department of Building’s Office of Tenant Advocate (OTA) advocates for tenant against obtrusive or illegal construction within multi unit residential buildings.
Speaker(s): Rakell Washington & Ana Pluchinatta
5 min
OPEN NEW YORK
Open New York proclaims to be a proponent of housing. They are set to influence and or capture the community boards.—Updates and actions.
- Letter working
5 min
PUBLIC CONCERNS
- Immediate needs?
- Charisma White
8 min
ACTIONS
- Summary
- Additional Requests
- Letter writing campaign, press releases
2 min
ANNOUNCEMENTS / EVENTS
- Additional announcements from new attendees, committee members, elected officials, others
- Last words?
2 min
DEVELOPING INITIATIVES & PROGRAMS
- Forums: Health, Housing, and Development
- Rally to highlighting the inequities and bad policies
- Locations: Midtown near Port Authority, Hudson Yards, NYCHA, Penn Station
- One Stop Shop
- Hurt Committee
- Objectives/Mission/Vision: MSCC is busily restructuring to become more effective in accomplishing its goals and making plans for the coming new year to complete their:
- Mission: Midtown South Community Council strives to dismantle the causes of homelessness by building an equitable, just, and sustainable social infrastructure to ensure dignity, health, and home for all.
- Vision: Midtown South Community Council envisions a city where homelessness and poverty are eradicated
- Committees: Managing our overwhelming tasks together with our intersecting network. If anyone wants to be involved with building committees to serve programs and projects of mutual interests (Housing, Urban Farming, Education & Awareness, healthcare, incarceration, workshops, health access, Home Improvement, communications/social media messaging, Midtown Street Sheets…), please let us know
- Street Sheets; New batch printed
4 min
AOB
- Topic Suggests:
- Illusion of Choice: How Source of Income Discrimination and Voucher Policies Perpetuate Housing Inequality, UnlockNYC
- Charisma White (MSCC), what does deeply affordable housing mean
- Network marketing and communications committee (suggestion)
- Planning committee with Mount Sinai about their unused wings (suggested)
- Common Point’s services
- Prison to shelter and back again
- Policing the problem away; 50% of the Riker’s Island jail population are mentally ill
- Speaker Suggestions: All suggestions are welcomed
- New Members: Thank you for joining, feel free to tell us your needs, schedule a presentation, and connect with anyone within this network
- NEXT Meeting Homeless and Housing Meeting: 9:30 AM Tuesday, July 2, 2024
- Always the 1st Tuesday of every month
2 min
Contact hello@localhost or john.mudd@usa.net for more information and Zoom invitations.
ADDENDUM A: BIOS
Tom Lunke:
I am a 32-year resident of Chelsea with over 40 years of urban planning
experience; 30 of which was in the public sector. I was a member of CB4 from
1997 to 2003, helping to shape the 1999 and 2005 Chelsea rezonings. I also had
a hand in landmarking the meatpacking district, creating Hudson River Park and
preserving The High Line for parkland.
I will be discussing my experience with the Chelsea 197a Plan and subsequent
rezonings, and will provide quotes from the 197a Plan and the Chelsea NYCHA
Working Group report.
David Halowka:
My part of the presentation will look at the way Chelsea’s zoning
implemented the 1996 Chelsea 197a plan, how it has developed since then,
and how the NYCHA proposal’s alternatives relate to it.
A retired architect and 25-year Chelsea resident. I’m a CB4 and Save
Chelsea member, but I’ll be speaking for myself and not representing those
groups