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August 22, 2006
PAUSE BEFORE YOU PRAISE
The latest salvo in the City Limits debate over Atlantic Yards comes from Norman Oder of Atlantic Yards Report, who addresses (and redresses) John Atlas's commentary in support of Bruce Ratner's "affordable" housing plan.
Oder counters Atlas's claims on the 50/50 plan...
Atlas writes, “ACORN received the commitment from Forest City to include 50% non-market affordable housing,” but that no longer applies. Initially, the developer promised a 50-50 affordable/market split for all the Atlantic Yards housing. However, in the May 2005 Housing Memorandum of Understanding, the 50-50 agreement applied only to the rental units—at that point the only housing planned.
With ACORN on board, Forest City soon added 2,800 market-rate condos (since reduced to 2,360), to ensure profitability. That lowers the onsite affordability percentage to below one-third.
...the definition of "affordable housing,"
Only 900 (or 13 percent) of the 6,860 total units would be affordable to four-person families with incomes under $35,450.
...Atlas's characterization of the disagreement amongst Brooklynites as a class conflict,
Atlantic Yards would be the densest residential community in the country, by a factor of two. It's not a “middle-class” vision to question that, but a civic responsibility.
...and the importance of extracting concessions from private corporations now that the federal government is decreasing its commitment to support affordable housing.
Perhaps, but the Atlantic Yards Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), signed by ACORN and seven other groups, differs greatly from the CBAs pioneered in Los Angeles. Groups in Los Angeles have agreed not to take money from developers, while several of the Atlantic Yards signatories have been funded by Forest City.
Posted by lumi at August 22, 2006 6:57 AM