Pair of Kings: A Fashion and Culture Podcast · Pair of Kings

13.2 - Why Shit Not Working and How Do We Fix New York City with Chi Ossé (@chiosse)

·1 hr 19 min·1 clip

Cars kill people. Not e-bikes. But the mayor caters to car lobby to stay in office.

Saul and Michael interview NYC Council Member Chiyo Sei (District 36, representing Bed-Stuy/Crown Heights) about New York governance and housing crisis. Sei identifies rent/housing as primary issue: 1.4% vacancy rate forces everyone to compete for same units while jobs increase. Specific legislative achievement: banned forced broker fees (direct tenant win). Policy blocked by Eric Adams: warehousing enforcement (mayor catering to landlord lobby). Major grievances: e-bike speed cap (15 mph) appeasing car lobby despite cars—not bikes—killing people; MTA underfunding and inefficient bureaucracy (McKinsey consultants cost more than actual Second Avenue construction). Advocates for rent freeze, inner borough express (IBX) connecting Brooklyn-Queens, and cutting bureaucratic red tape.

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