Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Is this guy for real?

From Crains:

The topic of whether New York City has been shortchanged by the 2010 census is certainly a hot button issue. The mayor continues to insist the census takers missed as many as 200,000 residents because they could neither count people in apartment buildings nor find immigrants who had no interest in being enumerated.

Now comes a very provocative piece by Harvard economist Edward Glaeser, an expert on cities, which suggests the Bureau of the Census might be right.

Mr. Glaeser, in a piece on The New York Times' Economix blog, looked at the number of new housing units created in the city in the last decade. He notes that despite the supposed building boom, New York added only 170,000 new housing units in the 2000 decade, an increase of 5.3%.

Typically, he adds, population growth lags the number of new housing units by a couple of percentage points because household size is shrinking. He finds lots of evidence to support the idea that growth is in line with housing creation, which means the less-than-expected 2.1% increase is on the mark.

If true, the Bloomberg administration should start doing some hard thinking. In part, the housing shortfall is the result of the financial crisis that delayed major development initiatives at Atlantic Yards, Hudson Yards, Coney Island and Willets Point, to name only a few. The administration is not responsible for that.

Other administrations, however, would be considering measures to spur more construction, as Ed Koch did in the early 1980s. So far, the administration isn't interested in that approach; maybe it is time for a change in plan.


Why would we need more construction if many of the already built units are sitting empty? Why are taxpayers expected to foot any of the bills for Atlantic Yards, Hudson Yards, Coney Island and Willets Point - all private developments? How about tax incentives to get people to stay here instead of for developers who help drive them out?

17 comments:

Snake Plissskin said...

Why are taxpayers expected to foot any of the bills for Atlantic Yards, Hudson Yards, Coney Island and Willets Point - all private developments?

Because they are stupid enough to act like headless chickens every time they want to cut schools and senior centers and when the funding is restored, no one looks at the rest of the budget so its business as usual.

Now if the dingbats, instead of running after the electeds, insist that their funding be restored out of development funding, we might make some progress.

But, that would require a little grey matter and since we have allowed the conduct of all civic functions to be forfeited to the politicians, they will continue to play us like a violin.

Anonymous said...

Come to see the empty "luxury" condos at the new monstrous building in Flushing, corner Roosevelt Ave and College Pt Blvd.
They sit on top of a set of mega stores, and they just can't sell those damn apts!

Anonymous said...

"Other administrations, however, would be considering measures to spur more construction, as Ed Koch did in the early 1980s. So far, the administration isn't interested in that approach; maybe it is time for a change in plan."

I really want to know what this guy is smoking. The city is full and the city services bursting at the seams. We should be focusing on managing the overpopulation we have, not increasing it. You can't fit 10 pounds of crap in a five pound bag no matter how you cut it. This guy is an idiot.

Anonymous said...

What was the corresponding gain or loss in the number of people paying income tax or real estate tax in excess of what they received in salary (because they work for the government) or benefits (because they are a beneficiary of a state or city program)?

New York for years has had many more people riding the cart than pulling the cart. Unsustainable.

Censeless Observer said...

When you hire a bunch of inexperienced Census enumerators what do you expect? The criteria for employment seemed to be too liberal. Aren't there more experienced people that should have been hired to do the task??? And don't get me started on the skill sets of "management".

The whole operation was a debacle from start to finish, in my opinion. Now that's it's over, everyone's crying foul??!? I saw our elected officials using the counting operation as self-promotional opportunities. I'll bet if you asked any of those useless bottom feeding representatives the details and anticipated difficulties of counting all the people, they would say, "Hubbada Hubbada Hubbada"! Big help they were. Think of it this way, if 150 people live on a block but only 100 are counted, the people get funding for the 100 but 150 will share the allocation. WE LOSE!!!

Anonymous said...

When you open the doors and proclaim New York as a Sanctuary City, what do you expect? Bloomburg invites everyone to live here, yet he's pissed because the illegals don't want to be counted. Meanwhile, hard-working middle class people can't afford their property taxes because they've doubled under this administration, so they move out and create another space for illegals to dwell. The illegals get free medical, foodstamps and education, but now there is no one to pay for these services because of the economy and the disappearing middle class. I don't know what Bloomburg expected out of this census. When all the free services are cut, the illegals will go back home and working people will come back to NY. Until then, the only good that will come out of this will be less political seats representing New York. That's one less politician to fleece us.

Anonymous said...

An apologist for more development - this is an ivory tower type that has never left his upper middle class enclave.

Family size getting smaller? hahahah never been to Queens, eh? There are housing conditions and demographics here unseen since WWI.

Anonymous said...

population growth lags the number of new housing units by a couple of percentage points BECAUSE HOUSEHOLD SIZE IS SHRINKING

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHH IS HE SERIOUS? People are living in tuna cans/closets and FUCKING SLEEPING IN COFFINS just to work in this city.

Household sizes are shrinking, that was a good one.

Anonymous said...

TONY,the local K-3 pupils who live across the street from P.S.130Q ,on 201 street/42nd avenue still are not given seats there. within walking distance of the building.

300 out of town pupils from main street ,flushing are still bused there instead.

what happened when you were cm ??
we never even saw a queens weaklie photo op at the school ?

I. M. Curious said...

And the solution is......................?

Anonymous said...

The solution is deport all the illegals and their anchor babies. Seats will available in schools, beds in hospitals and jobs that Americans need.

Anonymous said...

Will there be a recount?

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg will pay someone off or make a deal with the Feds and they'll adjust the numbers to his liking. Remember, our mayor is a politician and all the Democrats don't want to lose any political seats and representative power. Watch the recount and watch the numbers mysteriously climb.

Anonymous said...

4 words for the 21st century: Secure Biometric Identification Cards

Anonymous said...

"The solution is deport all the illegals and their anchor babies. Seats will available in schools, beds in hospitals and jobs that Americans need."

And just how would this be done? How much would it cost?

Anonymous said...

Just cut off their services and they will go home on their own. They made their way here and they can make their way back. It won't cost anything to the taxpayers. We will have a surplus in the NYC budget once they leave and will have more services available to the people that belong here, i.e. senior citizens.

Anonymous said...

Secure Biometric Identification Cards

Some of us still want to avoid a Big Brother society. I guess your too obtuse to appreciate the freedoms we still have. Enjoy 'em before they're gone forever. Take your card and fold it in half and stick it where the moon don't shine!