>>> THIS IS METRO FOCUS.

IT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR THERE WAS TALK THAT OUR NEXT GUEST MAY BE THE NEXT MAYOR.

>> SO WHAT WILL NEW YORK'S FINANCIAL PICTURE LOOK LIKE ONCE THE DUST HAS SETTLED?

OUR LAWMAKERS ARE PLANNING TO TACKLE ISSUES SUCH AS CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS AND WHAT ABOUT HIS POLITICAL FUTURE AND WHY DOES HE WANT TO BE THE CITY'S NEXT FINANCIAL WATCHDOG.

WE WELCOME BACK SPEAKER CORY JOHNSON.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> JACK, I HAVE MISSED YOU AND "METROFOCUS."

>> I WANT TO GET TO THE COMP CONTROLLER RACE IN A COUPLE SECONDS.

THERE ARE NEGOTIATIONS TAKING PLACE AS WE SPEAK, BUT LET ME GET TO ONE QUESTION.

WE TALK ABOUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS COMING TO THE CITY THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN SOME WAY DICTATE HOW THE MONEY CAN BE SPENT OR DOES THE CITY RETAIN THE ABILITY TO SAY THIS IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO UTILIZE IT?

>> THE MONEY IS SPLIT UP IN MULTIPLE WAYS.

NEW YORK CITY WE ARE GETTING $5.9 BILLION IN WHAT IS CALLED UNRESTRICTED AID.

THAT MEANS WE CAN USE THAT MONEY FOR ANYTHING.

THERE IS ADDITIONAL BILLIONS OF DOLLARS COMING IN FOR SCHOOLS.

THERE IS MONEY COMING IN FOR FEMA REIMBURSEMENT FUNDS, MONEY SPENT AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC AND ADDITIONAL MONEYS FOR HEALTH CARE MEASURES LIKE VACCINATIONS.

SO A GOOD CHUNK CAN BE SPENT IN AN UNRESTRICTED WAY, BUT ANOTHER CHUNK OF THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT IN AGENCY AREAS.

WE ARE MAKING SURE IN BOTH OF THOSE WE ARE GETTING THE RECOVERY DONE RIGHT IN A JUST AND EQUITABLE WAY.

>> CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG.

BUT THIS ISN'T AS IF WE HAVE A WINDFALL OF BILLIONS, BUT IS TO MAKE UP FOR LOST REVENUES THAT WOULD ORDINARILY BE PART OF THE BUDGET?

>> CORRECT.

LAST YEAR WHEN THE CITY HAD TO SHUT DOWN, WE SAW A GIGANTIC BUDGET DEFICIT THAT ACCUMULATED OVERNIGHT BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY WINDING DOWN.

THE DEFICIT LAST YEAR WAS NEAR $8 BILLION.

THIS MONEY WILL HELP US IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND HELP US WITH SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAD TO CUT.

BUT AFTER THIS BUDGET, THE ONE WE ARE NEGOTIATING NOW, NEXT YEAR, THE 223, 224 AND 2025, WE ARE PROJECTING A $5 BILLION DEFICIT EACH OF THOSE YEARS.023E ARE PROJECTING A $5 BILLION DEFICIT EACH OF THOSE YEARS.024 WE ARE PROJECTING A $5 BILLION DEFICIT EACH OF THOSE YEARS.

AND WE NEED TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

I PUSH THAT WE DON'T SPEND ALL OF THIS MONEY AT ONCE.

WE NEED TO PUT MONEY INTO RESERVES AND HAVE THE LONG VIEW AND PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE SO WE HAVE SOME BUFFER IF OUR TAX PROCEEDS AND REVENUE DON'T PICK UP IN THE WAY WE HOPE.

>> IT IS DAUNTING AS WE LOOK FORWARD.

I MENTION CRIME.

LAST YEAR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET WAS CUT BY CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS.

PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL WHO THOUGHT IT WAS TOO MUCH AND OTHERS WHO THOUGHT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN TERMS OF HOW THAT BUDGET MAY BE PLAYING OUT FOR POLICE?

>> SO THE CRIME INCREASE WE HAVE SEEN IN NEW YORK CITY ACTUALLY STARTED LAST YEAR BEFORE THOSE CONVERSATIONS STARTED TO HAPPEN.

CRIME STARTED TO INCREASE BEFORE GEORGE FLOYD WAS MURDERED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT ON THE STREET CORNER THAT LED TO A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT CALLING FOR POLICE REFORM.

SOME PEOPLE SO THE A BIG CUT TO NYPD.

WHEN THE MAYOR PROPOSED CUTTING THE DEPARTMENT FOR YOUTH AND DEVELOPMENT, YOUNG PEOPLE, BY 32% AND ONLY A .4% CUT FOR NYPD THERE WAS SOME PROPORTIONALITY.

WE WANTED TO BE SURE WE WEREN'T CUTTING PUBLIC HEALTH, SCHOOLS, AFFORDABLE AND PUBLIC HOUSING, THAT EVERY AGENCY HAD TO DEAL WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PAIN GIVEN THE $8 BILLION BUDGET HOLE.

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN CRIME THAT STARTED BEFORE.

AND WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN SHOOTING AND HOMICIDES.

I THINK YOU CAN ENSURE THAT NYPD HAS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO FIGHT CRIME FOR WHAT WE CALL COMMON SENSE POLICE REFORMS.

THEY GOT RID OF IMMUNITY WHICH NATIONWIDE THEY ARE ASKING FOR.

>> YOU KNOW FROM YOUR WORK IN THE PUBLIC SECT FOR SO MANY YEARS, THAT THERE IS A PHRASE PERCEPTION BECAUSE REALITY.

THERE IS A PERCEPTION OF NEW YORK CITY RESIDENTS THAT THIS RISE IN CRIME IS LINKED TO THE DIMINUTION OF THE POLICE BUDGET.

YOU SAY THIS RISE IN CRIME BEGAN BEFORE THAT.

STATISTICALLY WE HAVE SEEN THAT, BUT THERE IS STILL THAT IMPRESSION.

HOW DO YOU REASSURE -- I DON'T MEAN YOU PERSONALLY, CITY GOVERNMENT -- HOW DO YOU ENSURE WHATEVER THE BUDGET IS, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANOTHER DELETERIOUS IMPACT ON RISE IN CRIME?

>> IN THIS CONTEXT, IT IS NOT GOING PACIFY EVERYONE.

PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CRIME WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE CITY.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT CRIME HAS GONE UP ACROSS AMERICA, LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO, SEATTLE, MIAMI, BOSTON.

COVID DID SOMETHING, THE UNEMPLOYMENT, LACK OF INCOME FOR FOLKS, SCHOOL BEING OUT.

ALL OF THESE THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO CRIME GOING UP ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET ILLEGAL GUNS OFF THE STREETS.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE WORKING ON ALL OF THESE SHOOTINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE NUMBER ONE DRIVER OF HOMELESSNESS IN NEW YORK CITY, RT SINGLE LARGEST THING THAT CONTRIBUTES TO HOMELESSNESS AND IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL.

SO WE NEED TO INVEST IN THE THINGS WE KNOW ARE THE ROOT CAUSE OF SOME OF THESE THINGS AND MAKE SURE THE POLICE HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.

>> HOMELESSNESS.

RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK CITY PUT CRIME AND HOMELESSNESS AT THE TOP OF THEIR LIST OF CONCERNS.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, AND THE MAYOR, IN TERMS OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS, IN PROVIDING RESOURCES TO HELP DEAL WITH THE HOMELESS PROBLEM?

>> WE DID SOMETHING THREE WEEKS AGO WHICH I THIS IS GROUND BREAKING WHICH IS PREVIOUSLY IF YOU WERE A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL IN THE SHELTER SYSTEM IN NEW YORK CITY -- AND WE HAVE MORE THAN 65,000 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS RIGHT NOW -- YOU WOULD GET A HOUSING VOUCHER.

BUT THAT WAS INOPERABLE.

IT DIDN'T HELP BECAUSE IT DIDN'T COVER THE COST OF AN APARTMENT.

WE HAVE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF THAT VOUCHER.

THERE WERE ONLY 565 APARTMENTS THAT THAT PREVIOUS VOUCHER COULD QUALIFY THOSE PEOPLE INTO 565 APARTMENTS.

THE NEW VOUCHER OPENS THE MARKET TO 75,000 MARKETS.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE DRIVERS OF HOMELESSNESS.

WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC OF MENTAL ILLNESS ACROSS NEW YORK CITY.

YOU SEE MENTALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREETS AND SUBWAYS, CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE PROPER SUPPORT IN HEALTH.

WE NEED TO GET THOSE PEOPLE HEALTH.

THEY NEED INPATIENT SERVICES AND WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SO THEY ARE HOUSED WITH PROGRAMS AND MEDICAL CARE AND OFF THE STREETS.

>> YOU ARE RUNNING FOR COMP CONTROLLER, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE LAST QUESTION.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC RIGHT NOW WE WILL SEE AN ALIGNMENT COMING TOGETHER, IF YOU WILL, OF THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR SO A MEANINGFUL BUDGET WILL BE IN PLACE SOON.

>> I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN GOOD ANNOUNCEMENTS THE MAYOR HAS MADE.

WE ASKED FOR AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS AND WE GOT $600 MILLION TO FUND FAIR SCHOOLS.

BUT I WANT TO PUT MORE MONEY IN RESERVES, PLAN FOR THE TU TOUR TO BE SURE WE ARE NOT SPENDING ALL OF THE FEDERAL AID AT ONCE.

WE HAVEN'T COME TOGETHER ON THAT.

THE COUNCIL WILL NEGOTIATE UNTIL JUNE 30 TO BE SURE THE BUDGET WORKS FOR NEW YORKERS BOTH IN THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM.

>> THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FELT YOU WERE ON A TRAJECTORY THAT COULD PUT YOU IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

YOU DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT.

YOU DECIDED YOU WANTED TO RUN FOR COMPTROLLER, THE FISCAL WATCHDOG.

WHY NOW?

>> THE THING I HAVE ENJOYED MOST ABOUT SPEAKER IS THE FINANCIAL ASPECT.

I HAVE TO NEGOTIATE THE BUDGET WITH THE MAYOR.

I KNOW THE BUDGET INSIDE AND OUT.

I WAS THE ONE PUSHING FOR RESERVES IN 2018 AND 2019 WHEN OUR ECONOMY WAS DOING WELL.

WE PUT ALMOST $500 MILLION ASIDE WHICH HELPED US WEATHER THE STORM LAST YEAR.

SO THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB.

YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, GIVE SHORT AND LONG-TERM BUDGET ANALYSIS, YOU SETTLE CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY, IN CHARGE OF AUDITING CITY AGENCIES.

IT IS AN IMPORTANT JOB.

THE SKILL SET I HAVE BROUGHT TO BARE AS SPEAKER IS WELL ALIGNED WITH THE JOB AS COMPTROLLER.

I WAS OPEN THAT I NEEDED TIME LAST YEAR TO GET WELL.

I TOOK THAT TIME WITH MY MOM AND PARTNER.

I STARTED FEELING GREAT AROUND THANKSGIVING.

AND PEOPLE STARTED NUDGING ME TO CONSIDER THIS RACE.

AFTER LOOKING AT WHAT THIS CITY NEEDS, THAT'S HOW I DECIDED ON THE RACE.

I STEPPED OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO DO THIS INTERVIEW.

I HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING 12 TO 15 HOURS PER DAY IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT NEW YORK CITY'S FUTURE.

>> NEW YORK CITY HAS GONE, AS THE WORLD HAS GONE THROUGH THIS HORRENDOUS PERIOD OF TIME.

WHY ARE YOU TRULY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE ARE ON FAST RECOVERY?

>> I THINK WE COULD BE ON THE ROARING '20s IF WE GET IT DONE RIGHT.

IF WE ARE PRUDENT ABOUT HOW WE USE THIS MONEY COMING IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE CAN'T WASTE MONEY.

I WILL ALWAYS BET ON NEW YORK CITY'S FUTURE.

OUR BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD OF US.

>> SPEAKER CORY JOHNSON, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE TALKING WITH YOU ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING TIME OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL TO TALK WITH US.

>> THANKS, JACK, AS ALWAYS.

>>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M JACK FORD.

AFTER DECADES, IT HAS BEEN DES IG IG NANATED BUILDING TO BE GI HISTORICAL STATUS.

THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THIS HOME MAY HAVE SERVED AS A TEMPORARY STOP FOR THOSE ESCAPING SLAVERY IN THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

THOUGH A SECTION WAS USED, THEY HAVE RESISTED GIVING THE HOMELAND MARK STATUS UNTIL NOW.

WITH ME NOW TO DISCUSS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LANDMARK DESIGNATION IS MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> GREAT FUN TO TALK WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

>> I AM DELIGHTED TO CHAT WITH YOU.

LET'S START WITH THIS NOTION OF THE DESIGNATION, LANDMARK STATUS.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> NEW YORK CITY WAS THE BEST PRESERVATION LAW IN THE NATION AND ONE OF THE OLDEST.

IT MEANS WITHOUT THERE BEING PROOF BY THE OWNER THAT THEY WILL EXPERIENCE SOME HARDSHIP IF THEY MAKE CHANGES OR ALTERATIONS OR DEMOLITION OF A BUILDING, THAT THEY CANNOT DEMOLISH IT OR CHANGE IT WITHOUT APPROVAL OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

THAT GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS HELPING US PRESERVE BUILDINGS THAT EXEMPLIFY OUR GREAT HISTORY OF THE CITY.

>> WHAT DOES THE PROCESS INVOLVE?

>> HOW DOES IT COME TO BE THAT A LOCATION SUCH AS THIS IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT DESIGNATION?

>> ORDINARILY IT'S PEOPLE IN A GIVEN NEIGHBORHOOD WHO FEEL THERE IS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT OR HISTORICAL OR OF'S THEY I CAN IMPORTANCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY THEY FEEL SHOULD BE PROTECTED.

THEY PETITION AND ASK FOR A REQUEST FOR EVALUATION.

OFTENTIMES THEY GET A FORM LETTER BACK THAT EITHER SAYS THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST -- UNFORTUNATELY, THE SMALLEST AGENCY IN THE CITY WITH THE SMALLEST BUDGET AND COMMISSIONERS DON'T GET ANY PAY.

THEY ARE VOLUNTEERS, UNLIKE MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THAT PRESCRIBES WHICH PEOPLE CAN VOLUNTEER TO BE ON THE ORGANIZATION.

IT IS NOT AS OPEN A PROCESS AS ONE WOULD HOPE.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF, AS IN SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IF CITY COU COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD NOMINATE A BUILDING.

AFTER A BUILDING IS CALENDARED, AND AFTER THAT HEARING, USUALLY THE HEARING IS FAIRLY PRO FORMA, THE BUILDING IS DESIGNATED.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING THAT LED TO ITS DESIGNATION.

>> THIS BUILDING IS SPECIAL AND FACED TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS.

IN PART BECAUSE THIS BUILDING WAS OWNED BY THE TRUS DALE FAMILY.

THEY WERE ACTIVISTS IN THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

BUT IT IS BELIEVED SO WERE THEIR NEIGHBORS IN A ROW THAT EXISTED TO THE WEST OF THEIR HOUSE.

HOUSES LIKE THIS HOUSE, A GROUP OF ROW HOUSES.

WHEN PEOPLE FIRST PETITIONED TO GET THE HOUSE DESIGNATED, THEY ASKED THESE OTHER HOUSES BE PROTECTED.

THE CITY PLANNED TO TAKE THEM BY EMINENT DOMAIN AND DEMOLISH THEM AND CREATE A PARK.

IN PERSISTING TO AT LEAST SAVE ONE HOUSE WE HAVE THAT, THIS ONE HOUSE PROTECTED, BUT THE OTHER HOUSES HAVE ALL BEEN DEMOLISHED OVER THE TIME PERIOD.

THE COMMISSION INITIALLY SAID THAT, A, AS YOU SUGGESTED, THAT, A, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVE THAT THIS HOUSE HAD BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

THAT'S NOT ANYTHING STRANGE GIVEN THAT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WAS A HIGHLY SECRETIVE OPERATION, MUCH LIKE PEOPLE HIDING JEWS DURING THE HOLOCAUST.

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FINES COULD BE ISSUED TO YOU FOR HIDING FUGITIVE SLAVES.

>> AT A TIME WHEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WERE SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS.

>> A CITY COMMISSIONER MIGHT MAKE $3,000 A YEAR, A BANKER, $5,000 A YEAR.

SO THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WAS A LOT OF MONEY.

PEOPLE WERE TAKING A TREMENDOUS RISK.

THIS HOUSE, THERE WERE NO FIRM DIARY ENTRIES THAT SAID A SPECIFIC ACTIVITY TOOK PLACE HERE.

AND OVER TIME PEOPLE DIDN'T SAY THIS IS 227 BROOKLYN STREET AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

IT WAS CONNECTED HEAVILY WITH SLAVERY IN EXPORTING AND IMPORTING THE GOODS OF THE SOUTH AND BRINGING COTTON TO THE NORTH TO BE SPUN TO FABRIC IN NORTHERN MILLS.

THIS ACTIVITY WAS SO PROMINENT IN THE NEW YORK AREA THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF CIVIL WAR OR EVEN BEFORE THE WAR MAYOR FERNANDO WOOD SUGGESTED THAT NEW YORK SECEDE FROM THE UNION SO IT MIGHT TRADE LIKE A CITY STATE LIKE VENICE AND TRADE WITH BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH AND NOT CURTAIL A BIG PART OF THEIR BUSINESS.

>> I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT AT ONE POINT ALBANY WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR TRADE SLAVING COLONIES IN THE COUNTRY, SORT OF UNDERSCORING YOUR POINT HERE.

LET ME JUMP IN.

LET'S SAY I AM TALKING TO MICHAEL HENRY ADAMS, A HISTORIAN.

SO THEY SAID, NO, TO MAKING THIS PROPERTY A HISTORIC LANDMARK.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED NOW?

>> THEY SAY ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL.

WHAT IS CONVERSELY TRUE IS THAT EVERYTHING IS POLITICAL.

BY HAVING A NEW ADMINISTRATION FROM THE BLOOMBERG ADMINISTRATION, BY HAVING THE FIRST LADY OF NEW YORK, AND ALSO BY HAVING AS OUR PUBLIC ADVOCATE AND NOW OUR WONDERFUL SECRETARY OF STATE -- I'M SORRY, ATTORNEY GENERAL, NOT SECRETARY OF STATE.

SHE AND MRS. McRAE BOTH WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL BECAUSE THEY MADE THIS HAPPEN.

>> THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY HAD INTENDED TO DEVELOP IT, END OF STORY.

APARTMENT BUILDING.

SAID THEY WERE GOING TO INCLUDE A MUSEUM IN THAT DEVELOPMENT.

THEY SAY THE CLIENT DEVASTATED BY THIS DECISION.

SOME ARE SAYING IS IT FAIR TO LIMIT THE USE OF THE PROPERTY GIVEN A FINDING THAT THIS PROPERTY WAS POSSIBLY USED OR EVEN PROBABLY USED.

>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS THERE IS A HARDSHIP PROVISION IN THE NEW YORK STATE LAW.

YOU CAN OPEN YOUR BOOKS AND PROVE THAT WITHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO SURVIVE.

IF YOU CAN DO THAT, YOUR BUILDING CAN BE DEMOLISHED, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT SINCE I HAVE LIVED IN NEW YORK IN 1985, THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE AVEILED THEMSELVES OF THAT HARDSHIP PROVISION.

PEOPLE BUY PROPERTIES OFTENTIMES JUST TO SPECULATE THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SOMEHOW MAKE MORE MONEY IN THE FUTURE THAN THEY ARE MAKING NOW.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A PLACE THAT WAS OWNED AND LIVED IN BY ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ABOLITIONISTS OF HIS TIME, YOU DON'T IMAGINE THAT THAT PERSON DIDN'T AVAIL HIMSELF OF EVERY RESOURCE IN ORDER TO UTILIZE HIS BUSINESS OF TRANSFERRING FORMER SLAVES TO FREEDOM.

IT GOES WITHOUT QUESTION THAT OF COURSE SOMETHING THAT WAS UTILIZED TO BE USEFUL TO FREEING PEOPLE OCCURRED IN THE HOUSE.

>> LET ME ASK YOU TWO QUESTIONS.

FIRST, ARE THERE OTHER PARTICULAR SITES THAT YOU FEEL SHOULD BE GRANTED THIS DESIGNATION.

AND IS THE CITY DOING ENOUGH WITH REGARD TO THAT?

>> TWO THINGS.

857 RIVERSIDE DRIVE.

IT IS JUST AS MERITORIOUS OF BEING DESIGNATED AS THIS HOUSE.

IT WAS BUILT BY A LEADING ABOLITIONIST NAMED DENNIS HARRIS.

HE DIDN'T LIVE THERE.

HE LIVED NEARBY.

IT WAS VACANT TO YEARS AND THEN SOLD IT TO A PARTNER NAMED JUDGE JOHN NEWHOUSE.

HE LIVED THERE FOR 50 YEARS.

THERE IS NO WAY HE DIDN'T UTILIZE THIS HOUSE IN SOME WAY FOR THIS NOBLE EFFORT.

THE MAYOR SAID RECENTLY THAT EVERY AGENCY OF THE CITY, INCLUDING THE POLICE, SUFFERED FROM SYSTEMIC RACISM AND HE WANTED TO IDENTIFY IT AND ROOT IT OUT.

THE WAY THAT MUST BE ROOTED OUT IN TERMS OF LANDMARKING IS FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR TO BE GIVEN THE SAME NUMBERS OF LAND MARKS THAT EXIST IN PROSPEROUS WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

GREENWICH VILLAGE, UPPER M MANHATTAN, ONLY LIKE 10% ARE.

>> MAYBE THIS WILL MOVE IT ALONG.

THANKS FOR HOOKING UP WITH US.

WE WILL LOOK FOR YOU DOWN THE ROAD.

BE WELL.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> METROFOCUS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION, THE JPB FOUNDATION.

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