Williamsburg- Greenpoint residents, elected officials and city-wide housing activists gathered at the East River water front on May 22 to call out Mayor Bloomberg for guaranteeing 3,500 affordable housing units back in 2005 and not living up to the promise.
members of MAD rallying to condemn Mayor Bloomberg’s “broken promises” for affordable housing
The rally, which marked the 8th anniversary of the city’s rezoning, took place on Kent Avenue at North 8th Street. The Mobilization Against Displacement (MAD), which includes every major community-housing group in the area, stated that less than one third of the promised 3,500 affordable units have been built, but only about 100 can be truly considered affordable.
“We want the city, the Mayor’s office, to find the political will to finally deliver on their promises,” said Rich Mazur, a citywide housing- activist. “This housing isn’t for us, it’s for a whole new set of people and social reengineering is not what we were born too.”
Rich Mazur speaking at the rally, described as “The sad story of the city’s rezoning of the Williamsburg- Greenpoint waterfront”
As a result of the City’s 2005 rezoning, which allowed for pricey high-rise commercial and residential developments, several low-income, long-term Williamsburg- Greenpoint residents have been forced out of the community. When a rally leader asked the activists if they know at least five people who can no longer afford to live in Williamsburg- Greenpoint, each person raised their hand.
“He [Mayor Bloomberg] made a commitment to this community to provide affordable housing and to stop the displacement of the community and he failed miserably,” said community-housing activist Antonio Ranoso. “This community has lost 10,000 Latino residents in the last 10 years.”
Since the rezoning, new developments have caused real estate prices in the area to rise and activists worry that the culture of the neighborhood will continue to change. Debbie Medina, spokeswoman for Southside United stated that it is a shame that they are still fighting for the affordable housing they were promised by Bloomberg eight years ago.
“We cannot allow this to happen and it cannot continue to happen,” said Medina. “Either we are faithful to one another, or we break it all up.”
Southside United rallying for affordable housing
With a new mayoral election approaching, The Mobilization Against Displacement coalition is urging the new Mayor to give residents the affordable housing they were promised back in 2005.
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