Williamsburg: Squatters' Paradise
On the heels of a post on Curbed yesterday, the Daily News today has an article about how the living is easy in Williamsburg for squatters. The paper profiles a drifter named Jonny who enjoys the easy access to abandoned buildings like 205 North 9th Street (“We just kick the fences in. We get in…
On the heels of a post on Curbed yesterday, the Daily News today has an article about how the living is easy in Williamsburg for squatters. The paper profiles a drifter named Jonny who enjoys the easy access to abandoned buildings like 205 North 9th Street (“We just kick the fences in. We get in easy”) and the short train ride to Wall Street where he rakes in $150 a day panhandling (“My girlfriend and I bought a laptop, a portable DVD player and a PSP”). And, according to Jonny, the police in Williamsburg are also very cooperative: “I’m seeing more squatters on Bedford,” he said. “The cops don’t mess with you.” In a related article, neighborhood residents show they aren’t as happy with the situation. “It’s like St. Marks in the ’70s,” said Williamsburg activist Philip DePaolo, referring to the notorious East Village hangout. “It’s the bad old days all over again. There’s crack and heroin all over the neighborhood.”
Squatting Made Easy in Williamsburg [NY Daily News]
Punks Invade Williamsburg [NY Daily News]
Busted Williamsburg [Curbed]
Photo from Curbed
The What is on his way to Wall Street, $150 bucks a day panhandling is more than he makes spewing garbage on brownstoner all week.
No, the What has not been banned. Perhaps he’s out at his place in the Hamptons…
I would think the presence of heroin-addicted panhandlers will add to the area’s allure. People moving to Northside love that shit – it lets them think their neighborhood is more ‘authentic.’ These are the type of people who romanticize the 1970s-1980s East Village with the squats, shooting galleries, homeless encampment in Tompkins Square Park.
summer squatters.. they’ll be gone by the end of fall
quote:
“I’m seeing more squatters on Bedford,” he said. “The cops don’t mess with you.”
gee, i wonder why. :-/
*rob*
Did the What get banned again? He should be all over this.
quote:
“he rakes in $150 a day panhandling (“My girlfriend and I bought a laptop, a portable DVD player and a PSP”)”
scrub, PLEASE! the laptop, dvd player, and psp were paid for by him and his girlfriend’s parents. the 150 dollars a day they panhandle goes to coke and meth. let’s not kid anyone here.
*rob*
Its ok, they only need 3.5% down to buy a place there.
Thanks Daily News…Former Squatters’ Paradise