Editorial Calls for the Gentrification of East New York

Unsurprisingly, an editorial titled "Gentrify East New York" provoked a strong response from the public.

1 minute read

September 21, 2015, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


A Crain's editorial that sums up its proposed housing policy thusly: "Instead of relocating poor people to wealthy neighborhoods, attract wealthier people to poor ones." Noting that such a strategy is typically understood as gentrification, the op-ed points to other parts of the city as examples where such a process has been occurring naturally. The difference in the case study examined by the op-ed: "The de Blasio administration now hopes to jump-start this phenomenon in East New York, a forlorn area at the far end of Brooklyn that has missed out on the borough’s renaissance. On Sept. 21, the Department of City Planning will start a seven-month public review of its proposal to allow more housing in the low-scale, semi-industrial neighborhood." The op-ed is clear in its support of the policy—for East New York as well as other underachieving neighborhoods around the city.

Andrew J. Hawkins followed up by reporting on the responses provoked by the editorial, surveying soundbites from researchers, land use consultants, and anonymous Internet commenters. For instance, David Madden, as assistant professor of sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, tweeted that the op-ed was "All of the illusions and omissions of liberal urbanism distilled into one editorial."

Friday, September 11, 2015 in Crain's New York Business

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

4 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28, 2025 - Mass Transit

Line of multi-colored big rig trucks drivign down highway with other traffic including a yellow school bus.

Study: 4% of Truckers Lack a Valid Commercial License

Over 56% of inspected trucks had other violations.

5 hours ago - FreightWaves

Pedestrian holding visual impairment cane pressing crosswalk button.

Chicago Judge Orders Thousands of Accessible Ped Signals

Only 3% of the city's crossing signals are currently accessible to blind pedestrians.

6 hours ago - DRA Legal

People on bike wearing helmets stopped at intersection waiting for passing cars in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Swaps Car Lanes for Bikeways in Unanimous Vote

The project will transform one of the handful of streets responsible for 80% of the city’s major crashes.

7 hours ago - Philly Voice

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.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.