The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining member deference in the New York City Council as a critical measure in protecting community interests against powerful developers. It argues that by eliminating this deference, decision-making would shift from accountable elected officials to wealthy developers focused solely on profit. The piece stresses that while more housing is needed, it must not compromise fairness or community voice. The author calls for a process that prioritizes community well-being over developer interests, labeling any attempt to weaken member deference as a sellout rather than reform.
We need a process that makes damn sure the people at the table are thinking about their neighbors, not the donors lining their pockets.
Without member deference, decisions about what gets built and where shift away from accountable elected leaders and into the hands of deep-pocketed developers.
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