{"id":303520,"date":"2026-07-23T04:32:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T04:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/303520\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T04:32:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T04:32:11","slug":"menin-city-council-address-racial-equity-and-housing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/303520\/","title":{"rendered":"Menin, City Council address racial equity and housing"},"content":{"rendered":"

City Council Speaker Julie Menin and elected officials hosted a Black Media Roundtable at City Hall on July 21, discussing big wins in the city\u2019s budget and areas that still need to be improved for Black, Brown, and immigrant communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After months of protests about delays, the city passed its budget at $125.8 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2027. The budget had several policy items and funding geared toward addressing some of these issues faced by Black and Brown communities.<\/p>\n

This includes finally expanding<\/a> the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) program; rejecting the proposed 9.5% property tax increase on homeowners; allocating $2.1 million for the Commission on Racial Equity (CORE); $7.5 million in additional funding to help NYCHA remediate vacant units; baseline $10 million for cultural institutions; and a $1,000 college savings program for public school kindergartners through NYC Kids Rise, among other budget successes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ariama C. Long photos<\/p>\n

\"\"Deputy Speaker Dr. Nantasha Williams (far left), Councilmember Kevin C. Riley (center), and Deputy Chief of Staff and inaugural Chief Equity Officer for Speaker Menin Simone Jones (right) at Black Media Roundtable on July 21, 2026. (Photo credit: John McCarten\/NYC Council Media Unit.)\"\"Irie Jam leaders Bobby Clarke (far left), Syn Clarke (middle), and Khari Edwards (right) at Black Media Roundtable on July 21, 2026. (Photo credit: John McCarten\/NYC Council Media Unit.)\"\" Councilmember Chris Banks (left) and Councilmember Kamillah Hanks (right) speak at council\u2019s Black Media Roundtable on July 21, 2026. (Photo credit: John McCarten\/NYC Council Media Unit.)\"\"New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin hosts Black Media Roundtable at City Hall on July 21, 2026. (Photo credit: John McCarten\/NYC Council Media Unit.)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have created the largest college savings program. We are seating every public school, and charter school, kindergartner, in the City of New York with a $1,000 college savings program,\u201d said Menin. \u201cIt\u2019s invested in the state\u2019s 529 (account). That $1,000 will grow and compound every single year, and upon graduation, can be used for vocational school, two-year community college, four-year college. Why it\u2019s so important: Studies show that a low-income child with a college savings account is three times more likely to go to college than someone who does not have one, and earns double wages in the course of their lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite these significant wins, the councilmembers acknowledged that the work is not done, especially when it comes to affordable housing matters, pathways to homeownership, and New York City Housing Authority housing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an article that came out four and a half years ago that talked about the 200,000 Black New Yorkers who have left, and that was around the last Census. I have a feeling that when we do the next Census, we\u2019ll see another exodus of Black New Yorkers,\u201d said Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Williams said in her Queens district, it\u2019s primarily Black homeowners who have moved; and it\u2019s the same when she inquired in neighboring districts that had large Black and Caribbean populations. The cause, she believes, is an \u201cattack\u201d on Black homeownership through predatory lending, foreclosure, deed theft, and general skyrocketing costs in living.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a thing anymore to want to become a homeowner in New York City, so while we need to protect and stabilize existing homeownership units, we also feel that we should provide resources for those who want to become homeowners,\u201d said Williams.<\/p>\n

According to the mayor\u2019s racial equity report, released<\/a> earlier this year, Black New Yorkers in particular experience stark disparities when it comes to housing, health, environmental impact, employment, and income, among other issues. The report found that the median household net worth of white New Yorkers is nearly 15 times greater than that of Black New Yorkers, at $18,870. It also found that Black New Yorkers have the lowest life expectancy of any racial or ethnic group in the city.<\/p>\n

Menin added that there is a fight to keep Mitchell Llama housing affordable as the NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) considers increasing<\/a> rents by 31% across the city, but in particular at Tracey Towers in the Bronx.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are very upset, and it\u2019s not acceptable, that we have situations like Tracey Towers in the Bronx, where there is HPD, which is threatening a 31% increase,\u201d said Menin.<\/p>\n

Councilmember Chris Banks, who chairs the public housing committee, said he is focused on historically underserved communities and NYCHA\u2019s affordable housing stock.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, this budget is about expanding opportunity, strengthening communities, and making investments that allow families to thrive \u2026 and I just want to stress again, we can\u2019t talk about affordable housing or affordability if you leave NYCHA in the background. If we continue to privatize public housing, which we have seen has a track record of displacement and aggressive evictions across the board, [concerns will continue],\u201d said Banks. \u201cWhile no budget can solve every challenge facing our city, we must recognize that more work remains, particularly when it comes to protecting and preserving public housing in the traditional Section 9 housing, which is home to a predominantly Black and Brown resident population.\u201d<\/p>\n

Councilmember Kevin Riley, who chairs the land use committee, spoke about preserving and revitalizing<\/a> land<\/a> in communities with vacant lots that could be used for residential and commercial space as part of the city\u2019s Small Lots, Big Impact initiative. The proposed reforms to the city\u2019s construction codes look at about 3,000 small lots across the city that are being underutilized, said Riley.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCouncilmembers are taking our own proactive notion to go out there and produce as much housing as possible, but not only produce housing; preserve communities as well,\u201d said Riley. \u201cTime and time again, I\u2019m in the Bronx, or I\u2019m in Brooklyn,visiting my family, my in-laws, and you\u2019ll see house, house, house, missing house. Within that missing house lot, you might have an abandoned car, you might have furniture there.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just changes the whole dynamic of the character of the block,\u201d he continued. \u201cThis \u2018Missing Tooth\u2019 \u2014 that\u2019s the speaker\u2019s name for this proposal \u2014 pretty much goes in and utilizes our proactive power as a (council) to pass legislation. That makes it more financially viable for people to build within those lots.\u201d<\/p>\n

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