Post by 3PHector on Oct 26, 2014 23:45:54 GMT
gothamist.com/2014/09/29/east_new_york_real_estate_got_expen.php
mtopp.org
www.ppen.org
I have lived in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, since the year 2000, almost my whole life, and now it’s threatened by massive development. Right now, there are different cultures, races, artists, musicians, and people that have come from different places around the globe. But my neighborhood is changing from being almost completely African American to becoming gentrified. There is a Halfway house a block a way from me, but also a 20 story building being built near Prospect Park that will contain 80% luxury apartments and 20% affordable ones. This is a part of the city’s affordable housing program, which lets developers exploit small neighborhood communities. Mayor DeBlasio says that if we build tall buildings, then we get more affordable apartments. But this is false because for the most part developers are unregulated by the city. This means that their main priority is not affordable housing, but luxury housing, because they just want money. The real-estate prices in Lefferts Gardens have been tripling. Unfortunately, the prices of the “affordable" apartments about to be built are based on the mean income. In other words, the prices of the new housing are based on the amount of money in the neighborhood. Right now there are many poor, multigenerational families in our neighborhood. As prices are rising, they are struggling because they can’t afford their neighborhood. Many new residents with more money have been pouring into this neighborhood because of the attractive location near Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum, the Parade Grounds (athletic fields), the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and the cheap rent and real-estate.
This massive change is just beginning to happen in Lefferts, but it has already happened at the Barclays Center. The Barclays Center seems like an great thing on the surface, the home stadium for the NY Nets and a place for big musical concerts. What many people don’t know is how the stadium forced people out of their homes and that their opinions were drowned out by the money and power that developers and companies have. This goes against democracy and is a huge problem. Recently, Barclays and much of the surrounding area was sold to a Chinese company that plans to make huge money off of it. I worry that the same thing is going to happen to Prospect Lefferts Gardens. In ten years or so, it will be expensive, not diverse, hard to park, will have tall buildings blot out the sky. Two local groups, MTOP and PPEN, are fighting the out-of-control development, but will most likely fail in keeping Prospect Lefferts Garden like it is. This is happening all over the city so this is a personal example of what could be happening or might happen in the future to your neighborhood.
mtopp.org
www.ppen.org
I have lived in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn, since the year 2000, almost my whole life, and now it’s threatened by massive development. Right now, there are different cultures, races, artists, musicians, and people that have come from different places around the globe. But my neighborhood is changing from being almost completely African American to becoming gentrified. There is a Halfway house a block a way from me, but also a 20 story building being built near Prospect Park that will contain 80% luxury apartments and 20% affordable ones. This is a part of the city’s affordable housing program, which lets developers exploit small neighborhood communities. Mayor DeBlasio says that if we build tall buildings, then we get more affordable apartments. But this is false because for the most part developers are unregulated by the city. This means that their main priority is not affordable housing, but luxury housing, because they just want money. The real-estate prices in Lefferts Gardens have been tripling. Unfortunately, the prices of the “affordable" apartments about to be built are based on the mean income. In other words, the prices of the new housing are based on the amount of money in the neighborhood. Right now there are many poor, multigenerational families in our neighborhood. As prices are rising, they are struggling because they can’t afford their neighborhood. Many new residents with more money have been pouring into this neighborhood because of the attractive location near Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum, the Parade Grounds (athletic fields), the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and the cheap rent and real-estate.
This massive change is just beginning to happen in Lefferts, but it has already happened at the Barclays Center. The Barclays Center seems like an great thing on the surface, the home stadium for the NY Nets and a place for big musical concerts. What many people don’t know is how the stadium forced people out of their homes and that their opinions were drowned out by the money and power that developers and companies have. This goes against democracy and is a huge problem. Recently, Barclays and much of the surrounding area was sold to a Chinese company that plans to make huge money off of it. I worry that the same thing is going to happen to Prospect Lefferts Gardens. In ten years or so, it will be expensive, not diverse, hard to park, will have tall buildings blot out the sky. Two local groups, MTOP and PPEN, are fighting the out-of-control development, but will most likely fail in keeping Prospect Lefferts Garden like it is. This is happening all over the city so this is a personal example of what could be happening or might happen in the future to your neighborhood.
