This proposal may bring in money, but it's understandable there is concern that it could slowly chip away at affordable housing in the City. It could set up an uneasy tale of two cities, with luxury condos coming up right across the street from housing developments. I think the time would be better spent exploring ways to create MORE affordable housing in New York.

Should private developers be able to build residential towers on the Housing Authority's open spaces? What if the $50 million generated each year was used to address a $6 billion backlog in repairs? Those are some of the questions raised today as lawmakers in the State Assembly examined the New York City Housing Authority's proposal to let developers build 4,000 to 5,000 private apartments on 13 parcels of land at eight locations in Manhattan.

NYCHA says no residents will be displaced and there are no plans to sell their buildings. But many residents fear what could come next, and they don't want to lose access to open spaces. The money would be used to tackle some 350,000 repair orders. Mayor Bloomberg cites cuts in federal funding for the backlog in maintenance orders. What do you say?

Do you welcome the development of private residential towers on Housing Authority land? Is this an effective way to raise revenue for much-needed repairs? Do you fear the City will eventually transfer residents elsewhere and sell their buildings? If you live in one of these developments, how will the loss of open space affect you?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

This is s good idea. But developers must be private, not government. The developers should own the land. Since I might seek to be a member of the Lhotta administration, I can reveal no more details.

Joe
Port Richmond

Yeah well privatize, privatize, privatize, that's what Bloomberg is all about, schools, hospitals, and now public housing, this from a mayor who has an abysmal record on building affordable housing and ponders why there are so many homeless New Yorker's.

Felix
Bay Ridge

All the repairs should have been done as they occur. Once it’s a grant then it's a phantom donor then it's from the state then it's from Washington then it's from the city whatever fund. Just what do they do with all of our money?

Maxxiee
Morris Park

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The unbridled greed and avarice of Bloomberg and his real estate cronies is killing this City. He cares nothing for the quality of life of New Yorkers. If we all suffocate from his overbuilding, it will be ok with him just as long as his vile cronies make billions. He is worse than a terrorist.

Frances
East Village

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I DON'T BELIEVE THIS ADMINISTRATION I THINK THE GOAL IS TO GET RID OF PUBLIC HOUSING

PEDRO
BRONX

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NYCHA needs to be monitored for possible mismanagement and misuse of funds. But I am not against development if that gives the projects a helping hand in its endless need of repairs. It's not so bad living next to a luxury high rise and could be actually beneficial to subsidized tenants for new job opportunities in the neighborhood.

Gretchen
Upper West Side

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This is part of the overall attempt to privatize practically every sector of our society.

Once again the most marginalized group must suffer the decisions made by the privileged.

K
Harlem

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Every other city in the U.S. has been tearing down the projects.

They do not work - Cabrini Green in chicago is no longer.

They have been replaced by mixed income and a mix of high and low rises.

GAIL - they dont fix becuase there is NO MONEY!! and the tenants rent is too low.

What do they expect? where does the money supposed to come from? From the rest of us , NYC taxpayers.

JOHN - we are talking about parking lots !! in Manhattan $20 per year. If you can afford a car, you should not be subsidized.

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All public housing, needs cameras in elevators & in the lobbies. Especially in Washington/Lex. Housing. Too much urination in elevators.

Mario
Manhattan

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1. There is too much open space around these projects - it separates them from the community

2. Subsidized housing is not a right.

3. More housing = more amenities. Do people just want to east fast food and drink soda for the rest of their lives???

Paul

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Who is Bloomberg and his goons trying to fool? They have been sitting on millions of dollars that was meant for housing repairs for years. I agree with Maryann from Riverdale.

Bloomberg is a bully and he just does not care. He is the worst and the biggest hypocrite we have ever had for a mayor.

What ever happened to integrity and just plain caring about people. My friend has 3 children and is a hardworking person and she has been waiting for 4 years to have serious repairs done due to water damage and mold in her nycha apartment on the lower eastside.

Franchesca
Lower East Side

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Unfortunately there is a budget shortfall at NYCHA. By leasing the space to private organizations, it will provide a steady stream of revenue to support public housing (as well as adding an additional 20pct as affordable housing).

Ross
Staten Island

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I from the Baruch House on the LES but now live in Bridgeport CT because it's cheaper for me. I've been on disability for a long time but the city doesn't acknowledged that. Pretty much I can't afford NY.

Christine

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Sure it would be perfectly fine ... IF they house all of the prior residents close to the original location

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While NYC Housing needs improvement, asking for more funding is completely irresponsible. Perhaps NYCHA residents should take more pride in their homes as they are responsible for 80% of the damage in housing.

Don
Morningside Heights

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Nooo, its not fair, selling these public buildings to private companies. This consistent idea need to stop and considered other options.What is it with trying to to sell anything to private companies. Are we not in a democratic government, this definitely is not correct. Not everyone can afford high rents. And what is the point of squeezing people for money and more money. Money is paper and paper does not create good citizens, People do. Love, care and respect for one another does. We need to wake up, instead of trying to make our lives better, we as humans are destroying other humans.

Remember we are all human beings, we are all in the same boat. So whatever you think will not affect you will, one day soon affect you too.

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First of all I have lived in and around Douglas Houses on the upper Westside for over 47 years.

The people you have been showing are woefully ill-informed.

These are not, repeat not going to be put in playgrounds, if you actually read the plan it says it will only be done on things like parking lots!

Some of our local elected's are using this issue to scare people so they can be elected, as this is an election year.

With these new residents they would put a lot of pressure on the city to keep
the area around them in better shame.

Not to mention they would demand for police action in the area to bring down the
rampant crime and drug use/sales in our project.

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As a resident of public housing, I think leasing the areas to private developers could be a good thing by exposure. As long as the lifestyles, children and revenue integrate to envigorate public housing residents.

LJay

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The major is a dictator, whom wants to get rid of the poor in the city.

Surely, there are other options.

I kept a log for over two years to get my mail box lock repair. All i got was a ticket number and no one showed on the given date. finally, it was repaired about three months ago....

Freddie

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It's too bad the residents are so scared of an "evil plan" to "kick the poor" out of the city.
I can't imagine that would ever be the case.

I would think instead they'd say, "Wow, this means I could get my repairs done timely instead of waiting YEARS."

The real question is whether anyone would want to live in the newly constructed, market rate buildings sharing the same property with the subsidized buildings. I live a stone's throw away from several and have frequently been taunted by residents screaming out of their windows. I'd personally rather live further away.

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Perhaps building housing on NYCHA housing will help speed up repairs to NYCHA housing and help support the authority. This is government property, and given budgetary issues, it makes sense to use some of this open space to help cover some of NYCHA's costs.

Besides, this is New York City, the majority of us are living in very close proximity to each other and that's what the parks are for.

Carl
Manhattan

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The rich can live wherever they want and the poor get subsidized apartments and parking spaces, while the middle class has been forced to the boroughs. The city should sell the land and build middle class housing, not more low income housing. NYC does not need anymore people on the dole.

When other people help pay your rent, don't complain that you don't like how they pay for it. If the people in the low income housing are unhappy about that, they are welcome to move to the boroughs, just like those of us who are not subsidized have had to.

No one has a right to ask others to pay for them to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Nigel

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Folks used to complain that housing projects were bad cause they ghettoized the poor and seperated them from society. Now Bloomberg wants to move the middle-class right next to the ghetto, and folks are unhappy about it. Now the isolated ghetto is a good thing?

Dan
Rego Park

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Although Bloomberg and company will claim to have rehabbed and built 165,000 affordable housing units, they fail to mention that it doesn't even replace the more than 200,000 units lost during his administration.

What this is is nothing but a land grab and a push to enrich private developers before he's finally out of office.

their spin is that this plan will bring in more capital. But it's a drop in the bucket and their current $60M a year deficit stands to increase.

If they are really concerned about building capital for NYCHA they can start with ending the $75m in payments to the nypd for a service that all other landlords get for free thought the clean halls program.

This plan needs to not only be vetted through a real public process, it also demands further involvement of state and federal oversight to ensure it doesn't begin a slippery slope that threatens the availability of city's largest affordable housing stock to families that need it.

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im so sick and tired of people in this city that have money talking about affordable housing affordable for whom? not the average joe. lower the rents and maybe most could deal with this so call affordable housing .1500 dollars is not affordable for the average person that walks up and down nyc
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Fannie

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all those who are in favor of this plan are primarily those who haven't struggled as those living in NYCHA buildings. This is goal to make nyc the ultimate Gotham. Private residences will only be the catalyst to getting rid of the projects leaving many more in shelters.

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absolutely!

Residents have to understand this is not there property!!!! the mayor does not have to consult with people who live there, people who live in nycha dont pay not even half of what the market is and all you hear is complaints!!!

what about the positives and upside to it?

Lee

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Is it a good idea to develop NYCHA Open Land? Maybe.

If NYCHA land is used, why can't more than 20% of the new units be made available a real affordable housing for New York City's low wage workers, even current tenants in destroyed NYCHA apartments? "80-20" program is unrealistic where millions spend more than 50% of their income on housing. How about 50-50 at affordable prices? We may not get as much money, buy why do we need so much?

I understand that these buildings are old. And there are serious capital needs. But why does it cost so much to do simple repairs? Who is doing those repairs? At what prices? Hmmmm. Contractors and volunteers with plastering, painting, plumbing, and cabinet installation skills abound. Ask Habitat for Humanity, who renovates the community areas of public housing, to help renovate apartments. C'mon, this is not brain surgery; these are apartment repairs. Then funds can be saved for the real infrastructure problems on elevators and building structures.

Keep all playgrounds.

Terry
Upper East Side

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this is nothing more than a transfer of public wealth into private hands, which has been a key componet of the bloomberg administration.

Lamyus Midtown

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Oh my -Bloomberg has treated New York like his own personalized Monopoly game. The keys to the city have been given to Billionaire developers with no taxes, cheap land (The MTA gave Ratner Atlantic Yards)an lax zoning laws. How was NYCHA was allowed to accrue $ SIX Billion in repairs ? The tenants need to be allowed to step up and put some skin in the game with tenant work corps that could be formed to learn how to do their own maintenance and actual ownership made possible. Open space is not "Vacant" and should not be squandered not a inch of it. It should be Landscaped in a naturalistic fashion to help with storm runoff ,the mature trees can continue removing carbon, the roofs need to be greened or blued, to deal with storm water runoff, community vegetable gardens need to be returned to the community. Open space is incredibly important it is a study proven stress reliever. No new buildings ! If they want to gentrify it the "LUXURY" tenants should have to do in person.

TRICIA
Brooklyn

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Bad Idea! Nycha is losing revenue because of bad management. Ask Chairman, Rhea why housing is still paying out large contracts to companies that don't deliver guality work. Ask the chairman why nycha is also still bringing high salaried executives that are not solving housing problems. We have experienced employees who know the problems in housing with years of experience. But they don't want to solve the real problems they have their own ideas for the future of nycha . The mayor wants the middle class & poor out! If Christine Quinn gets in she will finish Bloombergs plan.

Denise
Harlem

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The repairs that are needed for some of these apartments is out of control. I had to write the chairman to get my repairs. It is sad that they always say they don't have money so lets make it so the residents have to stay in the house. We need space to live and breathe.

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The mayor's plan does not go far enough. Projects where people rent are notoriously poorly run, because people don't care about the homes.

Privatize the hole thing under the HDFC program, where people own their houses. Respect of the homes will improve everything.

Paul

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As a tenant of Douglass Houses for the past 56 years & one of the targeted NYCHA houses for this redevelopment, I believe this plan is justv a way to force out lower & middle income families from affordable housing sitting on prime upper westside property . The quality of life for the tenants of Douglass will be greatly disturbed & health issues for the families living in Douglass Houses will be greatly affected by the extensive reconstruction. Another way to force out the so called under dog!