Protest Over 'Economic Segregation' in Downtown
According to The Eagle, there was a protest last week organized by Families United for Racial & Economic Equality (FUREE) to bring attention to the “the unmet needs of low-income residents” in Downtown Brooklyn. The group says the Downtown rezoning has resulted in plenty of high-end residential construction but not the affordable housing and supermarket…
According to The Eagle, there was a protest last week organized by Families United for Racial & Economic Equality (FUREE) to bring attention to the “the unmet needs of low-income residents” in Downtown Brooklyn. The group says the Downtown rezoning has resulted in plenty of high-end residential construction but not the affordable housing and supermarket that was supposed to come with it, thus resulting in “economic segregation.” Lillian Green, a member of FUREE, is quoted as follows: ‘Businesses along Willoughby Street have been closed for three years; public housing residents have been without a nearby affordable supermarket for four years; and the only affordable housing in Downtown Brooklyn [on Albee Square] is slated for demolition to make way for a parking lot and a park with possibly a dog run.” The protest was attended by around 75 people.
75 Protest Unmet Promises of Downtown Brooklyn Rezoning [Eagle]
Before we know the answers to Scott’s questions, there isn’t much to talk about.
75 people was an impressive turnout though, dontcha think?????
BTW when you use loaded terms like “economic segregation”, you sort of lose credibility and turn people off to your ’cause’. It’s kinda their version of Godwin’s Law.
Maay I also point out that these areas were home to large numbers of working class and poor for years before it was “rediscovered.” The people complaining about the lack of a supermarket are complaining because the one they had was shut down, while they were promised another one. Seems like the people really whining about entitlements are the ones who want their fancy hi-rises and 15$ pizzas.
Any details on what promises were actually made, and in what form?
There is a big difference between plans and promises. Even in the best of times plans change, and the last 3 years have certainly not been the best of times in terms of real estate development.
I assume that affordable housing promises were tied to specific developments. If there are any developments that have opened without fulfilling their affordable housing promises, they should be prosecuted.
I doubt that a supermarket was ever part of a formal promise.
The economics of supermarkets, especially mid to low end ones, are very difficult in the city.
There was an Chinese produce market that recently closed on Livingston.
Personally, I like the mix in Downtown Brooklyn, and i hope there is a place for all types of people as it continues to develop.
electronics and sneaker stores > lame ass frou frou vanity project boutiques and 15 dollar slices of pizza. not everyone wants the entire city turn into one giant yuppie paradise.. and to use one of the most overly abused and cliched words, that kind of city just aint sustainable!
*rob*
The top 10 floors of all the new high rises should be affordable housing. And instead instead of a whole foods or trader joe’s, there should be an associated supermarket. And instead of an H&M there should be another sneaker store. And instead of higher taxes funding a beautification process and cleaner streets, the money should go to subsidies for cheap electronics and sneaker stores, so there can be even more of them.
I think the point FUREE was trying to make, and it is valid, is that the supermarket, the jobs, the housing, was all included in the original plans for the area, and is now being forgotten. It is not a case of, as Benson and others would like it to be, of poor people whining about the right to live in an expensive area, but of people letting the powers that be know that they won’t simply disappear when their concerns are swept under the rug.
Developers get all kinds of tax and other perks for including affordable housing in their plans, which enable them to get backers, political support, and lets them go ahead with market rate or luxury development. Jobs are touted as part of commercial clearing and redevelopment, a supermarket disappears in an area under served in the first place, and is promised to be replaced. Promises all over the place, made quite loudly and publicly in order for all of these projects to get done. Do they really think no one was listening, or would hold them to keeping those promises?
as a former affordable housing person with HPD and BEC New Communities, i agree that there is not and never enough afforable housing and the latter is part of the DTB plan and was promised
the scandalous delays in rehab of the Ingersoll Houses are a real cause of legitimate anger brokers and landlords saying the NYCHA housing is going away are liars
luckily a supermarket is coming to Myrtle finally, just has taken forever ! (was noticed this week in media)
(FYI ROB – you lose tax breaks if you don’t deliver the housing, you can’t evade it, doesn’t work that way)