Q: How did you get the idea to write this story?
A: This truly was a story that came from old-fashioned beat reporting and keeping an ear to the ground. The legislation behind racial impact studies was announced earlier this summer, but I saw the small build up to it developing as I was covering the Bushwick rezoning.

Q: What was the most surprising discovery you made while reporting it?
A: I found that in the U.S., many smaller cities in places like Iowa use different versions of racial impact studies to inform decisions on policies like criminal justice reform. I was surprised that a city as progressive as ours had not really used RIS to inform their policies.   

Q: Why do you think this article resonated with readers?
A: The city’s environmental review process has been under scrutiny by advocates and community groups for the last couple of years and readers have been following these events with City Limits. Whether this legislation becomes law or not, it will raise questions and  discussion around the city’s environmental review process to a bigger stage--questions such as, “Are these rezonings equitable?” “Is affordable housing affordable and if so for whom?” “Who is getting displaced and why?”

I’ve heard these asked time and time again during my reporting from many New Yorkers, and few feel that the administration has fully responded yet. My job as a City Limits reporter is to help amplify the voices of our community and answer their questions.