After the city rezoned Williamsburg, affordable housing was supposed to be built on the grounds of a NYCHA project there. Seven years later, ground has not been broken.
Malik Singleton looks at the many entities to blame for the stalled promises to build much needed affordable housing near rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhoods.
"Seven years ago, when the city rezoned the Greenpoint and Williamsburg neighborhoods to permit high-rise, high-rent construction on the waterfront, affordable housing was part of the deal. Some 3,500 subsidized units were supposed to be generated through a set of programs—including an agreement by the New York City Housing Authority to construct a new affordable housing development on the 12-acre site of its Cooper Park Houses development."
"Today, high-rises have arrived on the banks of the East River. But nothing has happened at Cooper Houses, as conflicting opinions about what should be built and where have stymied any action."
"Now, as the city rebuilds in Sandy's wake and New York City's major agencies are forced to prioritize new projects related to rebuilding efforts, there is a risk that previously planned initiatives will stall indefinitely—especially those that were already slow going, like the one at Cooper Park Houses."
Read the full story: Many Are Responsible for Housing Project's Stall
Report: Greenpoint-Williamsburg Rezoning Sparked Growth
An editorial cites newly released analysis of changes on the North Brooklyn Waterfront since a 2005 rezoning.
Is Zoning to Blame for Brooklyn's Affordability Crisis?
As waves of gentrification sweep through the poor and middle class neighborhoods of New York City's outer boroughs, Stephen Smith argues that conservative, and outdated, zoning codes are to blame for the unequal balance between supply and demand.
How New York's Hasidim Solved the City's Affordable Housing Problem
The certainly won't win any design awards, but new multi-family residential buildings erected by Hasidic developers in Brooklyn show that it's possible to build spacious and cheap housing in New York for families small and large.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority