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September 30, 2009
Proposed Supermarket Divides Bronx Community
The New York Times
by Terry Pristin
An article about a Bronx supermarket project and a related Community Benefits Agreement highlights the Mayor's flip-flop.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who in the past has supported the efforts of community groups to forge their own pacts with developers for projects like Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn, is now adamantly opposed to so-called community benefits agreements. City officials say that benefits to local residents should be considered as part of the public approval process, not in separate agreements.
Seth W. Pinsky, president of the city Economic Development Corporation, said the split over the supermarket illustrated the flaws inherent in these pacts. “On the one hand you have groups that are claiming to represent the communities saying no to grocery stores,” he said, “while on the other hand there are community groups saying we desperately need more grocery stores.”
NoLandGrab: The truth is probably that the Bloomberg Administration will embrace CBAs when they suit their goals, and oppose them when they don't.
Posted by eric at September 30, 2009 10:29 AM