Candidate Name: Yuh-Line Niou

Office Campaigning for: NY 10 Congress

PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR POSITION ON THE ROLE OF PUBLIC GREEN SPACES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.

Public green spaces within our community are vital and in need of protection and expansion. We know that when public green space is taken it is rarely if ever replaced and it becomes eliminated in perpetuity. I have stood with Elizabeth Street Garden and shared testimony and support for the protection of this space and supported the proposals of alternative sites for the also needed affordable housing expansion. I am also on a lawsuit regarding Elizabeth Street Garden to help protect it. As a Congressmember, I will continue to be a leader that makes real consideration for how to preserve, maintain and approach public spaces in our community.

PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR POSITION ON HOW THE CITY PRIORITIZES PUBLIC OPEN GREEN SPACE AND HOW COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE OFTEN PITTED AGAINST THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

The city's proposal to remove ESG and replace it makes clear the city does not always prioritize open green space as much as it wants to say it does. When the proposal was first discussed, it failed to include any analysis of the environmental impact losing precious green space, and failed to provide deeply affordable housing, and focused primarily on pushing through a tax incentive for the developer by depicting the garden as a blight. Community stakeholders, including myself, applied pressure, including filing lawsuits, to fight for a better deal that would have included permanently, deeply affordable housing.

The City Council structured the final deal so that the housing affordability is not guaranteed in perpetuity like in mandatory inclusionary housing. Instead, the loan and the housing affordability is only guaranteed for 60 years and provides incentives to extend affordability at the end of the term, but fails to require it. While the need for both green spaces and affordable housing are vital and dire in this district, the city’s choice of ESG for this new development ignores our community’s voice and need for green space while also failing to secure the deeply permanently affordable housing that our community actually needs.

HAVE YOU EVER VISITED ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE.

I have visited Elizabeth Street Garden both for formal events and rallies and as a community member for personal leisure. I’ve watched as the space has grown and been invested in by our community to become the Jewel of the Lower East Side as it is today. It is truly a magical space because of what the community has made it, and it needs to be preserved. From the activities to the beautiful park space available, it is truly a rare oasis of green space within the City.

WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE ALTERNATIVE SITE SOLUTION THAT WOULD USE 388 HUDSON — A GRAVEL- FILLED, CITY-OWNED LOT — TO PROVIDE UP TO 5X THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ADDITIONAL PUBLIC OPEN SPACE WHILE SAVING ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN?

As in previous letters and testimony, I support this alternative site solution. I believe that there are other areas where the community can win for affordable housing and maintain and grow public green spaces essential to the community.

ESG IS CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN TWO LAWSUITS TO SAVE THE GARDEN. ONE TO STOP HPD'S ATTEMPT TO EVICT THE GARDEN AND THE OTHER WITHIN STATE SUPREME COURT LED BY ATTORNEY NORMAN SIEGEL. IF THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED BEFORE THE CHANGE OF OFFICE, ONCE IN OFFICE, HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH ESG TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN?

As a State Assembly member, I have been involved in the advocacy to protect Elizabeth Street Garden and additionally I am one of the plaintiffs for the HPD lawsuit. Once in Federal office as a member of the House, I will continue to work with the community, Elizabeth Street Garden, and remain vocal about the need for public green space. Additionally, I will have the opportunity to explore federal options and alternatives to not only protect Elizabeth Street Garden but public green spaces in our city as a whole.

IF ELECTED, WOULD YOU SUPPORT ESG'S PLAN TO SAVE THE GARDEN AS A CONSERVATION LAND TRUST? PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REVIEW ESG'S FUTURE PLANS FOR SAVING THE GARDEN AS A CONSERVATION LAND TRUST HERE: HTTPS://WWW.ELIZABETHSTREETGARDEN.COM/CLT

Yes

IF YOU ANSWERED "NO" TO THE ABOVE QUESTION, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY.

N/A

IF ELECTED, WOULD YOU COMMIT TO SAVING ELIZABETH STREET GARDEN IN PERPETUITY?

No

IF YOU ANSWERED "NO" TO THE ABOVE QUESTION, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY.

This is not a "no" answer - I would like to provide a fuller answer than yes/no at your candidate interview and look forward to joining you!