NYCHA 2.0
City Limits
In December of 2018, Mayor Bill De Blasio and NYCHA announced NYCHA 2.0. According to NYC.gov, NYCHA 2.0 is “a comprehensive plan to bring $24 billion in vital repairs to NYCHA developments, rebuild public housing for the long term, and improve NYCHA residents' apartments. NYCHA's 2.0 program is about preserving and strengthening public housing.” De Blasio and NYCHA are expected to make this happen over the course of 10 years, giving all around renovations for 175,000 residents while funding essential capital repairs across NYCHA’s portfolio and launching aggressive new repair strategies to tackle lead paint, mold, elevators, heat and vermin.
While the program seems promising on paper and may appeal to those looking for a more suitable quality of living, NYCHA 2.0 is accompanied with varying factors that hint to a difficult road ahead. The Citizens Budget Commission; an organization that strives to change the finances and services for New York City and State’s government, writes an article detailing the setbacks of NYCHA’s promising plan. The lack of progress is due to:
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Not being able to meet its long-term goal of converting 62,000 units without shifts in the allocation of state and local housing funding, federal regulatory relief, and additional federal funding.
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Stalling of infill developments due to resistance from some public officials and community organizations.
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Failing to close the backlog thus adding more fuel to the fire and increasing the number of repairs along with efforts to modernize work rules and schedules have yielded some successes but have been accompanied by increased labor costs.
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Long-promised state funding and federal regulatory relief have yet to materialize.
'Project Lives' by George Corrano, Chelsea Davis & Jonathan Fisher
R.A.D.
Aside from progress, many residents have stressed their concerns for RAD. RAD or Rental Assistance Demonstration, is a voluntary program of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Created during Obama’s presidency, RAD gives permission to local governments to get funding for the improvement of public housing while still receiving public subsidies for low-income tenants. It seeks to preserve public housing by providing Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) with access to more stable funding to make needed improvements to properties.
Many residents have a hard time getting on board with RAD due to the privatization that is tied to it. De Blasio and NYCHA want to hand over 15,000 apartments to private landlords, nearly 9% of NYCHA apartments. Privatization can be a slippery slope that could either aid the community or do more damage than good. Not to mention, there is worry if De Blasio’s plan could come into fruition at all. According to Fight For NYCHA.Org, “HUD exaggerates how much private capital RAD generates,” adding that, “The federal housing agency claims that for every $1 in public money spent, RAD leverages $19 in private funds, while GAO estimates $1 in public money yields just $1.23 in private funds.”
AIR RIGHTS & INFILLS
The Real Deal
WHAT ARE THEY?
The selling of air rights and the discussions of possible infills has residents up in arms with NYCHA. Air Rights are defined as the ratio of a building's total floor area to the area of its zoning lot. Some buildings have a substantial amount of unused FAR, which could be sold, often to building residents or to neighboring properties. To put it in simpler terms, one would sell air rights to make taller buildings. Infills are buildings that are constructed on vacant or underused property or between existing buildings. Urban Infill Projects can also be considered as a means of sustainable land development close to a city's urban core. NYCHA wants to lease underutilized NYCHA land to developers who would build new, mostly market-rate, housing.
Shutter Shock
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
The selling of air rights and the construction of infills may not sound inherently bad, but many residents disagree. To NYCHA residents, air rights and infills go hand in hand in establishing a system that wants to kick out black and brown folks to replace them with their whiter and wealthier residents in these new ‘market rate’ apartments. With air rights that will bring in high rise buildings and infills that will take over green lawns, utilized playgrounds and parking spaces; residents will start to feel boxed in. A brick wall will eventually replace the sunshine and busy streets of their neighborhoods.
Some NYCHA executives are not too happy with these supposed rumors, especially when it comes to infill projects. Deborah Goddard, NYCHA’s executive director for capital projects, claims that those in opposition of infills are causing concern and misconstruing the situation altogether. She feels as though the reason many residents are opposed to this idea is due to the fact that “there is some genuine misunderstanding. I also think there are some advocates who are instilling the misunderstanding. And it’s not fair to our residents to play along that way.”
Alicka Ampry-Samuel, the New York City Council’s public housing committee chairwoman, came to the defense of those that challenged the administration's plans. Based on cityandstateny.com, Ampry-Samuel states, “Infill is not necessarily a problem, but the way we have done infill in NYCHA on developments has been just totally disrespectful in the design,” she said. “I think that’s what creates that pushback from residents in particular.”