7/27/2019 NYC Alliance to Preserve Public Housing: October 2013
letter to Chairman Rhea and Mayor Bloomberg
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NYC ALLIANCE TO PRESERVE PUBLIC HOUSING
October 21st, 2013
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City HallNew York, New York 10007
John B. Rhea, Chairman
New York City Housing Authority250 Broadway | 12
thFloor
New York, New York 10007
Dear Mayor Bloomberg and Chairman Rhea:
The NYC Allianceto Preserve Public Housing is a working
collaboration of resident
leaders/organizations, housing advocates, community and labor
organizations, and concernedelected officials to press for policies
to strengthen our public housing communities and extend
housing opportunities under the Section 8 voucher program. We
seek a stronger resident and
community voice in government decisions that affect these
communities, as well as greater
openness and accountability on the part of the New York City
Housing Authority.
In our comments last July on the NYCHA Draft FY 2014 Annual
Plan, the Alliance registeredits concerns about the
Infill/Land-Lease Plan. We called for a halt in the plan until a
meaningful
community planning process could be initiated at each
development, which included the
Resident Council and Community Board, to build a consensus on
whether and how privateredevelopment might benefit these
communities.
We acknowledge that NYCHA has taken steps to move more
gradually, with a request for
developers to submit expressions of interest (RFEIs) rather than
a direct request for proposals(RFPs). In addition, the call for
mixed-use development (ground level retail facilities) that
require a likely ULURP process in 7 of the 8 developments, and a
preference for higher
proportions of affordable housing, are promising changes, among
others, to the original plan.
However, we do not yet see a more transparent process taking
shape, in advance of the RFEI
release and decision process, which would enable resident and
community leaders to play an
effective role in deciding on the scope and objectives of
redevelopment that would optimallybenefit their communities. We are
concerned that:
(1)NYCHA retains the prerogative to accelerate exceptionally
responsive expressions ofinterest from developers as full proposals
and proceed toward designation of the
developer, all of this prior to any substantive and organized
input from the affected
community.
7/27/2019 NYC Alliance to Preserve Public Housing: October 2013
letter to Chairman Rhea and Mayor Bloomberg
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(2)The ULURP process is considered likely rather than required
of the developer.Moreover, it is unclear whether ULURP will apply
to the entire redevelopment plan or
just to the retail component.
As a result, the ALLIANCE urges NYCHA to:
(1)Commit itself to refrain from exercising the exceptional
escape clausein itsconsideration of expressions of interest
submitted by developers. (With a new
Administration and City Council forming in 2014, and a freshly
appointed NYCHA
Governing Board, there is good reason not to accelerate current
plans.)
(2)Voluntarily comply with the ULURP process at all
Infill/Land-Lease development, forthe full scope of the proposed
redevelopment plan.
(3)Suspend forward movement on the current Infill/Land-Lease
plan, until an organizedcommunity planning process can be
established at each affected developmentone that
includes the Resident Council and Community Boardto assess
whether and howalternative redevelopment options can benefit the
community as well as contribute to
NYCHAs financial stability.
Thank you, in advance, for your attention and response to these
concerns.
Respectfully submitted,
The NYC Alliance to Preserve Public HousingContact: Victor Bach,
Coordinator,[email protected], (212) 614-5492
(signers listed below)
Amsterdam Houses Resident AssociationCity Employees Union Local
237, International Brotherhood of TeamstersCommunity Service
Society of New YorkCommunity Voices HeardGood Old Lower East Side
(GOLES)Harborview Terrace Resident AssociationLegal Aid
SocietyTenants Political Action Committee
Union Settlement AssociationUnited Neighborhood Houses
NYC Council Member Gale BrewerNYC Council Member Letitia
JamesNYC Council Member Melissa Mark-ViveritoNYC Council Member
Rosie Mendez
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
