The rezonings in question occurred during the Bloomberg administration, but advocates are seizing on the relevance of that experience to the rezonings of the de Blasio administration.
Caroline Spivack shares news of a new study by the Churches United for Fair Housing (CUFHH) that "lays bare the inequalities spurred by city-led rezonings, and points to the dire need for the de Blasio administration to study the racial impacts of land use actions poised to reshape New York City neighborhoods…"
The "Zoning & Racialized Displacement in NYC" [pdf] report analyzes two specific rezoning efforts from the Bloomberg administration—the 2003 Park Slope and 2005 Williamsburg rezonings—claiming the changes "displaced thousands of black and Latino residents as the neighborhoods’ populations grew," according to Spivack.
"Between 2000 and 2015, Williamsburg and Greenpoint saw a population increase of more than 20,000, but simultaneously saw a decrease of about 15,000 Latino residents, according to the report."
The advocates behind the report are using those findings to push for a citywide bill that "would mandate the city conduct a racial impact study for land use actions that require an environmental review."
As noted in the article, de Blasio's administration has achieved a wave of rezonings around the city, in East New York, Downtown Far Rockaway, East Harlem, Jerome Avenue, Inwood, and Staten Island’s Bay Street Corridor. "Three others are on the immediate horizon in Brooklyn’s Bushwick and Gowanus neighborhoods, and for a swath of the Bronx’s Southern Boulevard," according to Spivack.
Many of the same points, and from the other side of the issue, were debated recently with regard to the Williamsburg rezoning after comments made by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortze earlier this fall.
FULL STORY: How NYC rezonings spur ‘racialized displacement’ throughout the city
NoHo and SoHo Rezoning Controversies, Amplified
One of the big questions of planning is up for debate with a proposed rezoning in the SoHo and NoHo neighborhoods of New York City: Can upzoning be an effective tool for affordability?
Community Opposition and a Rezoning Controversy in Philadelphia
The local councilmember is seeking a rezoning from commercial to residential in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, but local community members say the development will be priced out of their range.
A Planning Showdown in New York City
The proposal to rezone the Industry City redevelopment area in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn has won a key approval, but a controversial showdown in the City Council still awaits.
What We Really Mean When We Say Gentrification
The focus on gentrifying communities has, in many cases, eclipsed the similar problems facing more stagnant neighborhoods.
Study: Market-Rate Development Filters Into Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing
New research sheds new light on one of the most hotly debated questions in planning and development.
The End of Single-Family Zoning in California
Despite a few high-profile failures, the California State Legislature has approved a steady drumbeat of pro-development reforms that loosen zoning restrictions. The state raised the stakes on its zoning reforms this week.
Strategic Economics Inc
Elizabeth Peterson Group (EPG)
UrbanTrans North America
Edtalkradio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
American Planning Association
Hillsborough County Public Schools
City of Raleigh
City of Laramie, Wyoming and Albany County Wyoming
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
