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August 20, 2007
GoLo has issues
Two posts at Gowanus Lounge, in the last week, cover issues that we've been tracking.
Brooklyn Homeowners Can't Get Insurance
One South Sloper's annecdote of trying to get homeowners insurance after being dropped by Allstate is a cautionary tale. Looking at the Brooklyn Hurricane Flooding Map posted on Gowanus, you'll notice that many of the affected zones correspond to areas where City planners are making way for more residential housing.
NoLandGrab: Atlantic Yards watchdogs will be keeping an eye on this issue as the cost and availibility of insurance borough-wide will be affected by insurer's concern over severe weather events caused by warming and terrorism/security risks.
Availability and cost of insurance will add to the cost of Bruce Ratner's controversial plan. Who will pay is a lingering question. Mayor Bloomberg and Senator Schumer have already lobbied the Federal government to "correct the market failure" to provide insurance due to the increased risk of terrorism.
Where Will the Gowanus Rezone Stop?
Another cautionary message, this time from Marlene Donnelly of Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG), mentions one issue that NLG has mentioned several times, that residents in areas under consideration for rezoning have to pay extremely close attention because they are particularly vulnerable under NY State eminent domain law for removal for private developers.
We have also herd chatter about how the residential area between Hoyt and Bond is so under built--consisting of one and two family homes. It seems Planning doesn't feel that one and two family homes are appropriate for the community any longer. Those of us who live in this area between Bond and Hoyt NEED to be concerned. When a building doesn't make full use of it's allowed building size under zoning, it can be classified as "blighted" regardless of the condition of the building. Given the Mayor's Office plan to build housing for millions more people by 2030, we all should be aware that our neighborhood looks ripe for the picking...
Posted by lumi at August 20, 2007 9:49 AM