It was going to be the first private development to use the new "Mandatory Inclusionary Housing" rule that allows for taller buildings in the City in exchange for some affordable housing. But after residents in upper Manhattan's Inwood neighborhood expressed concerns about rapid gentrification, the City Council voted 45-0 today to reject the controversial Sherman Plaza project.
The development was slated to be a 15-story building, with 175 of the 350 units earmarked as affordable for low-income New Yorkers. But lawmakers followed the lead of local Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez who announced last night that he would not support the project due to community opposition. The vote is a major setback for Mayor de Blasio who wants to "build up" to create more affordable housing.
Are you pleased or disappointed to see lawmakers reject the Sherman Plaza development? What message does the unanimous vote send to the de Blasio administration? Is gentrification changing your neighborhood? What is an acceptable compromise for those who want more affordable housing options, but not in taller buildings? How is the rising cost of rent affecting you?
Kimberly’s Thoughts
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us tonight -- another interesting discussion. Nearly every caller we spoke to tonight said they are pleased to learn that the Sherman Avenue Plaza project was rejected by the Council.
As you heard during the show, Inwood residents are concerned about maintaining the character of their neighborhood and are fearful that if a luxury building is built, it will start unwelcome gentrification. One woman who spoke to NY1 says residents rallied not just to express opposition to what building out Sherman Plaza will do, but the tone it will set for moving ahead. She said she feels that if one luxury building is put in place, it will create neighborhood-wide price increases and changes to the dynamic. I definitely agree. With that said, more affordable housing is needed and I hope we will see it implemented.
Your thoughts posted below.
Viewer E-mails
I have to cheer for this result. Mr. De Blasio is a man who talks out of both sides of his mouth, but seems sorely lacking in the brains department.
Did he really think that residents of Inwood and Washington Heights would roll over and play dead over this sleight-of-hand routine (which, you just know, is making someone close to him millions of dollars)?
If he knew anything at all about the city that he purports to lead, De Blasio would know that life for most of use who don't live on trust funds or run with the millionaires and billionaires (or want to, or want their favor) centers on the neighborhood, as much as the home; you mess with the neighborhood, and you'd better have a dozen good reasons for openers, and one of them had better NOT be that "I'm mayor, and I know best."
If he wants to proceed, then he needs to go back to the drawing board, this time with local input and some figures that make sense to more people than his bean-counters. I, for one, hearing about the size of this building, had to wonder if any thought was given to the transportation needs that would arise out of moving that many families into the area? (Or is the thinking that the people using those apartments mostly wouldn't be the "kind" of people who would rely on subways or buses?) -- it's not as though Inwood is anywhere near adequately served by subways, buses, or taxis.
Thank you, New York City Council, for proving that you're good for something besides renaming streets and raising your own salaries.
Bruce, Upper West Side
It's just another hard blow to the middle class. We don't get an inch in this city. The new"affordable" developments going up are a joke! The buildings they are trying to raise up aren't budging and that leaves a lot of families out of the loop. How about actually creating buildings with ALL affordable units? I want to know how the middle class who make between 50,000 to 100,000 and have 4 or more in a houshold EVER have a chance !?? I know the mayor seems to be trying but quite honestly it's in the wrong direction.The middle class has no shot.
Rob-Hell's Kitchen.
There is "not in my neighborhood" way of thinking when you already have a place to call home. NYC is overcrowded and affordable housing is so desperately needed and affortable housing doesn't mean rapid gentrification of any neighborhood. My family and I moved to lower Manhattan before lower manhattan was considered "the place to be". We've seen this area rise to the top @ a 5g's a month. Is that considered "affordable housing"? Not really, but I say yes to helping those who need it. Every human being deserves a place to call home and to feel safe as everyone else.
ALL who rejected this development, should be a shame of themselves!!! How do you REALLY sleep at night?
CK, Lower Manhattan
I Guess the city council members didn't get there perks from the developers ..
Neighbourhood's change and you cant expect developers to replace 100 yr old 5 story buildings ... with new 5 story buildings just to keep city council members happy ..
Mark, Upper East Side
The will of the people has prevailed, as it should be, since we are a city with a REPRESENTATIVE govt, and NOT a govt with a city despite what SOME elected officials think. Affordable housing can be achieved by using deserted buildings and property, lowering taxes, and perhaps reaching out to landlords to get them to lower the rent. Remember that New York (city and state) are too expensive.
Sal #2, Flushing, NY
This is more reason why this should be a one time Mayor He needs to be found guilty of all the investigations from Preet Bates. This Mayor City Council Speaker and Public Advocate should do the same thing that Bratton did. And that is resign. deBlasio is fake with these so called affordable houses. He doesn't care for black people either.
Charlene
In addition to what Graham said, the developers produced a deficient and misleading environmental impact assessment. They were silent about things like traffic impact from the removal of 250 parking spaces and about traffic congestion which would likely result as well as being misleading about the impact on our already overcrowded schools, as well as impact on the infrastructure, the transit, the parks and the view sheds.
Maggie from Inwood from Inwood Preservation
I am a socialist. I believe that property is theft. The term "landlord" has a history of abuse.
Rob, east village
I was born and raised in Inwood and we've been neglected by the city and businesses for way too long.
Finally there are restaurants and bars and young families moving in and the city wants to expand development into the neighborhood which would bring more new businesses, jobs, tax income and there are residents who don't want Inwood to evolve?? Why?? This is a fail in my book! Tomas
Giving commercial developers incentives to build affordable housing is an oxymoron. As your first caller said, most of the residents of Inwood wouldn't be able to afford the affordable housing that the developers wanted to build at Sherman Plaza. Mayor de Blasio's affordable housing program is a ruse!
Adele, Washington Heights
I have lived in Inwood for over 15 years. New development would bring new legitimate business and tax paying citizens to the neighborhood. Not more illegal night clubs and hookah bars. The neighborhood is divided between hard working families and people taking advantage of the system and involved in illegal activities. I have never seen more BMW's, Mercedes, Audi etc than you do around here, yet everyone cries poverty.
AB
The City Council rejected the proposal, however it should have rejected The Zoning Quality Application.
Stopping One Project at time is not even a Band Aid
The Proposal Overturned years of "Downzoning of Neighborhoods for Years"
Gentrification has removed most of the African American who use to live in Fort Green and Clinton Hill Brooklyn.
Landlord harassment is citywide
Small Homeowners are House Rich-Cash Poor
If you don't have a 760 credit Score you cant Rent anything, I hear you have to have a 760 credit score to rent in Brownsville Projects.
You can't even get into NICHA, the housing lotteries are rigged
Once one Landlord raises the rent on a city block the City says everyone has to Rent for that Raise.
Store Owners are also forced out for Banks
I look at my old neighborhood, and even I want to run for the hills
The Bottom Line this is the consequences of a One Industry Town, The Real Estate Industry
Good Luck
D
Brooklyn
The problem for most of us activists uptown was not just the height and the size of the development, but the prospect of plans that will cause an unnatural raise in local rents. We are fighting the possibility of our neighborhood becoming another Williamsburg. Kouross, Washington Heights
This travesty in Upper Manhattan goes to show you how ignorant people can be, and how cowardly our elected officials can be. We desperately need affordable housing and no developer is going to make it 100% affordable. Those buildings are called homeless shelters, and we already have 60,000 people living in them. Maybe we can build a few more shelters in Inwood as they will be needed sooner rather than later.
Mario
Chelsea
I live just south of the proposed Sherman Plaza. The Washington Heights area where I live is seeing the same opportunist building owners and developers as Inwood. My building was recently sold and the new owners flipped five apartments out of stabilization by renovating them into luxury units. They are now delaying repairs to harass the tenants. We need housing, but preserving housing could solve many of the problems. I’m happy the project is stalled.
We do not have the infrastructure.
The subways are beyond capacity.
Traffic on Broadway is always heavy.
There is no parking anywhere any more.
The schools built in the 90s are so crowded they have portable classrooms in the parking lots.
The effect on Ft. Tryon Park would be catastrophic.
David
The concept of development and affordable housing also needs to extend to affordable commerce. As others have noted, commerce in new developments incorporates chains and big box stores, to the exclusion of local merchants who absolutely help define a neighborhood.
Michael,
East Village
DeBlasio is OWNED by REBNY. He doesn't give a damn about the middle and lower income citizens of New York. He doesn't give a damn about the quality of life his developer owners are destroying. The sooner he is gone, the better, but I hope he is replaced by a genuinely progressive mayor. I am not optimistic that that will happen, given what crap possibilities there are.
Frances
EV
As a 32-year Williamsburg resident (now pushed out to Queens for six years), I've seen this, first-hand. The truth is, allowing the continuity of whatever regulation letting these "developers" to turn the Northside of Williamsburg and Vernon Blvd. in Long Island City to look EXACTLY THE SAME, is ludicrous. Sherman Plaza adding more of this cookie-cutter nonsense you see along the Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg, and L.I.C...no thanks. Rents going up..transferring communities into new college towns..when is enough, enough? Danz in Woodhaven, Queens
Height is a red herring.
We want a building that will be affordable for people who already live here.
What the developers call affordable does not fit the vast majority of residents.
The AMI statistic (Area Median Income) is a federal statistic culled from the incomes of the entire NY Metropolitan area. That includes wealthy suburban communities and folks from downtown.
Inwood is largely a low-income and immigrant community.
The rent discussed is put into terms of a percent of that statistic. It's skewed to the wealthy.
The percent that we were offered was well above that of typical residents.
CM Rodriguez realized that he has to represent his existing constituents, not people brought in from the outside.
Good evening
It seems clear to me that the city council is using the MIH program as a good way to distance themselves from Di Blasio I'm guessing they're thinking when the indictments are finally filed this will be their get out of jail card.
I read that if this development was not approved the developers will be able to build the project without offering affordable units So who wins Oh the blowhards All the best Mike in Chelsea
As someone who is currently looking for affortable housing and connected to all the sites... I can say I am thrilled the deal was a bust. Finding affortable housing in which you're eligible for is literally impossible.
The middle class is completely left out, making more than 30k a year or less than 55k a year limits youre options tremendously! Ive even seen Apartments whee single income must be between 75 to 100k a year! Do they really need affortable housing??
Nonsense.
Stephanie, Bronx
While I see both the positives and negatives of gentrification. The fact of the matter is this, renting a home or apartment is a temporary situation. Whether you are there for 2 years or 20 years its still not a permanent situation. We have to drive home ownership is this city and country. It's still the most reliable way to build personal wealth. Home ownership should be a goal for all, whether they stay in NYC or move elsewhere where it can be a reality. The only sure fire way to combat rising rents is to not pay rent.
Home and apartment owners in gentrified neighborhoods benefit. Anonymous, NYC
The only two sides of the story we usually hear are those of the developer who is set to profit, and the renters who are pushed out in the event of a development project. However there is another point of view which I would like to see considered: small home owners who lose in the valuation of their property when neighborhoods do not benefit from new developments.
Regards,
Gentian