Thriving Communities Coalition Statement on NYC Council’s Land Use Hearings Wednesday

The Thriving Communities Coalition is disappointed to see the New York City Council moving forward with hearings that include a list of private land use actions, at a committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday April 22nd. On March 16th, an order from Mayor de Blasio suspended the ULURP process in light of the COVID-19 crisis. This was an important measure to prevent land use changes from proceeding without even the minimal opportunities for public engagement and input the process generally includes. The scheduled hearing seems to violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the suspension of ULURP actions, and sets a dangerous precedent for potential future zoning actions during this crisis.