Affordablity
Everyone is talking about what is affordable and how misleading this term is in regards to providing housing that everyone in the community can afford. The first point is to start with real numbers instead of the legal misleading jargon they give about percentage. Then we will work from there.
Currently the new housing developments will be made up of 50% luxury, 30 percent affordable and 20% low income. According to the Mayor's Five Borough – Ten Year Plan on page 19
Low Income is $41,951- 67,120. According to the Census Tract our Medium Income is $39,254.
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_09_5YR_B19013&prodType=table Thus anyone who’s total house hold income is less than $41,951 would automatically be eliminated from any calculations that are done.
It is like saying there are people from age 1 to 20, but when I want to do any calculations for these people I will only use people who are from 10 to 20. This will automatically eliminate all the people from 1-9, because they are not within the calculations! This is important to understand and this is why when we hear the rent amount for these so called affordable or low income housing units. We say we can’t afford that!
Another point is that if our medium income is below the low income category almost half of the people living in our community will not be able to afford the low income rents let alone the affordable ones. Thus the formulas are made to remove the lowest class out. In our case, almost 50% of us will be removed and to invite 50% new residents into the community with the Luxury category. That is displacement!!! With our money!!!
Our best solution is not to invite more luxury development into our community, because it will displace people, and to Preserve the affordable units that we currently can afford!
Thus No Residential on Empire Blvd!!!
No Luxury Developments on Empire Blvd!
Preserve Our Affordable housing!