Sunday, June 14, 2009

Wacky protesters demand higher density housing

From the Politicker:

The crowd seemed to feed on the disorder, growing even louder as a series of HPD representatives tried to outline the proposed plan, which would rezone approximately 20 acres of land near the border of Broadway and Flushing Avenues at the borders of Williamsburg, Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant.

The protesters think that the city plan doesn’t maximize the amount of affordable housing on one of the last, large open parcels in the area. The city—whose plan enjoys the strong backing of Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez, as well as local councilman and city comptroller candidate David Yassky--is proposing to build eight-story buildings. The protesters want 25-story buildings spread over 40 acres.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why not another LeFrak? LeFRak 2, the sequel. Another Happy Chanukah/Seasons Greetings salute location.

Not at all being anti-Jewish, but I have always wondered why LeFrak salutes one seasonal religious holiday and ignores the seasonal religious holiday celebrated by a vast majority of its residents. Just talkin about the light display they have run for years on the front of the main complex.

Kind of an insult to residents, imo.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, for my prior diversion. Just a pet peeve. But it is scary that there are people that are arguing that we are not 3rd world enough. We need to build more to attract more people to mushcake the quality of life to accomodate all else.

Frank said...

From what I understand most places are moving away from high density "affordable housing" because it tends to attract a lot of criminals and creates a lot of problems for law enforcement. Of course, there are people living in assisted housing who don't have any problem with drug dealers infesting their neighborhoods. They'd much rather support ridiculous gun control laws that only punish law-abiding citizens.

ew-3 said...

There is an element on the left tht wants to reduce the footprint of humans on the planet (see earth first). Their MA contingent wants to move the population of MA inside the 128 loop, use the space between 495 and 128 for agriculture, and return everything outside of 495 to nature.

Talk about whack jobs.

Anonymous said...

Do these people actually live in projects? The ones in my area have become self-contained ghettos where normal people fear to tread.

Let's have livable communities with streets, churches, neighborhood stores and other amenities that reduce alienation, build pride and sense of community and create a feeling of responsibility and neighborliness.

Anonymous said...

Power to the sheeple? I hope not.

Oh this is fun! said...

MYTH

The organizers of the protest claim that influential community groups were left out of the planning process for the site,

REALITY

THEY GOT ONE THING RIGHT, BUT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REAL CLOUT HIDING IN THEIR LANDMARKED DISTRICTS AND FEEDING ON (AND BENEFITING FROM) THE DEVELOPMENT CHOAS ENGULFING THE REST OF THE CITY,

AND HOLDING SYMPOSIUMS ON HOW TO LIVE WITH OVERDEVELOPMENT,

AND ENCOURAGING SECOND STRINGERS TO KEEP EVERYONE ELSE IN THE MUD (HELLO QUEENS PRESERVATION ALLIANCE) THINGS AIN'T GONNA CHANGE SOON.

MYTH

A Pratt professor who helped design the plan said last week that "the general gist of the plan is doable."

REALITY

AH PRATT! THE DARLING OF THE MAINSTREAM PRESERVATIONISTS.

STILL WAITING FOR THEM TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH: SHOULD DO MASSIVE REZONING STUDIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY LIVE - EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE, BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, THE VILLAGE.

THESE COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING LESS DIVERSE AND NO ONE IS SAYING A THING ABOUT THIS! HORRORS!!!!

MYTH

the community board voted to approve the transfer of 640 Broadway to the United Jewish Organization, one of two groups that was closely involved in the city’s plan for Broadway Triangle.

REALITY

OH, I GET IT, HASIDIC CAMPAIGN DONATIONS EXPANDS THEIR GHETTO TO EMBRACE MORE ACREAGE FOR OVERBUILDING MORE HIDEIOUS HOUSING AND FURTHER CONCENTRATING POPULATIONS IN AN AREA THAT CAN ILL AFFORD IT.

HISPANICS? THAT IS SO 1970s (UNLESS YOU ARE IN QUEENS, WHERE ITS LEADERSHIP IS STILL IN THE 1950s, AND HISPANICS ARE IN OUR DIVERSE! VIBRANT! FUTURE)

MYTH

Duran and Solano had previously belonged to a group called Churches United, a Catholic housing organization that criticized the Broadway Triangle plan.

REALITY

AFTER THE BEHAVIOUR OF ACORN, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROUPS ARE GETTING A BAD NAME AS A FRONT FOR DEVELOPERS

THEY SIMPLY DUPE THE WORKING CLASS INTO ACCEPTING THEIR COMMUNITY GETTING SWEPT AWAY (IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT USUALLY AMOUNTS TO LITTLE MORE THAN ICE CREAM MONEY FROM THE POLS).

EVERYONE KNOWS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS MOSTLY A MYTH AS 90% OF THE UNITS NEVER GET BUILT, AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY ARE PUT IN A BROWNFIELD MILES AWAY.

MYTH

“We will have no more uninvited guests to tell us what we need,” she said. “I’m supporting my community over politics.”

REALITY

CAN YOU IMAGINE A QUEENS POLITICAN SAYING THIS?

OR ANY GROUP IN QUEENS HOLDING UP A SIGN SAYING THIS

(SO UNPOLITE TO A POL,

AND IT WOULD HURT YOUR ACCESS TO THEM,

AND THE LOCAL PAPERS WOULD NEVER PRINT IT EVEN IF YOU TRIED)