New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr led a budget oversight hearing for the Department of City Planning (DCP) on Tuesday, March 11, where he focused on whether the department is equipped to meet the City’s ambitious housing targets.
The hearing, which featured DCP Chair Dan Garodnick, examined the department’s staffing levels, community engagement efforts, and financial resources as the City Council collaborates to approve critical housing projects.
The discussion comes in the wake of the “City for All” text amendment, which was passed earlier this year and aims to create more than 80,000 housing units over the next 15 years.
Salamanca, who represents the 17th Council District in the South Bronx, has been a vocal advocate for affordable housing. His district, which includes neighborhoods such as Mott Haven-Port Morris, Melrose, Hunts Point, and Morrisania, has some of the highest needs for affordable units in the City. To date, he has helped bring in more than 10,000 new affordable housing units to his district.
The meeting underscored Salamanca’s commitment to addressing New York City’s housing crisis and ensuring that agencies responsible for land use and development are prepared to meet growing demands.
