‘At worst, the developer’s pitch had all the elegance of a ransom note during a hostage-taking: Give us what we want … or we’ll do something you want even less.’
A report, produced by over 40 organizations, elaborates on critiques of the de Blasio administration’s neighborhood rezoning efforts and proposes a set of citywide reforms.
Residents have dubbed on area ‘Hell Square’—a 24-block area below East Houston Street with over 100 full liquor licenses.
After a loud protest disrupted a community-board vote on the mayor’s proposed rezoning, confusion, charges and countercharges swirled. One of the protest leaders says the episode illustrates the need for community-board reform.
At a panel discussion hosted by City Limits, experts split over the premise and impact of the mayor’s housing and rezoning plan. But they agreed that the planning process could be improved.
There were good intentions, but some boards and certainly the Bloomberg administration underestimated the threat of gentrification, board members say.
A new CB11 task force will take the lead on responding to the city’s rezoning plan, which has supporters and critics.
Funding for the bodies has increased steadily, if slowly, since 1996. But resources are still scarce for the entities that represent the city’s most local level of government.
Community groups pressed for deeper housing affordability and protections for workers. Other voices stressed different priorities.
The MTA is relocating its bus depot at East 126th Street so the city can create a memorial honoring the history of an African burial ground formerly located at the site. But the full plan calls for much more than a memorial.