In rezoning, a tale of two cities
In rezoning, a tale of two cities: Poorer, black and Latino neighborhoods and wealthier, predominantly white ones still get treated very differently by the city Photo: James Keivom/New York Daily News BY: ONLEILOVE ALSTON NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, September 12, 2016, 5:00 AM Ever since Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez rejected a proposed rezoning in the Inwood section of Manhattan that, in the name of supposedly creating affordable housing, would have increased the value of the site — owned by private equity developer Acadia Realty Trust — by millions of dollars overnight, council member opposition to local rezonings is growing.Jimmy Van Bramer has announced his plans to vote no on a rezoning in Sunnyside Queens. And a few weeks ago, Corey Johnson hinted he would reject a rezoning in Tribeca unless it “adequately serves” the community he represents. Last fall, Brad Lander announced his opposition to a rezoning of the Long Island College Hospital site in Brooklyn.Mayor de Blasio wants these rezonings to sail through, claiming they are vital to his plans to create more affordable housing. That’s deeply misleading. While it is encouraging to see council members respond to community opposition and stand up to profit-hungry real estate developers in their districts, racial disparities continue to exist in how zoning tools are applied across our diverse city. In white communities, rezonings are typically used to protect neighborhoods from new development,...
Read More