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February 22, 2010
It came from the Blogosphere...
People's World, City comptroller takes aim at developer abuse
Newly elected city Comptroller John Liu is taking action to help protect communities from big developers and corruption.
Liu, the first Asian American elected to a top New York City office, has announced that he will set up a task force to establish more oversight over so-called Community Benefit Agreements between developers and community groups.
...In Brooklyn, a CBA was signed in 2005 between Forest City Ratner, a multi-billion-dollar private developer which had already been guaranteed huge subsidies from the city, and a number of groups purporting to represent the community. The agreement was for Ratner's proposed Atlantic Yards project, which will, through eminent domain, throw people out of their homes and businesses and radically alter downtown Brooklyn.
Actually, the project is sited in the midst of Prospect Heights, Fort Greene and Park Slope, near downtown Brooklyn.
Astonishingly, Forest City Ratner official Mary Anne Gilmartin admitted in a July 2009 meeting that "Forest City has funding obligations and commitments to each of the organizations [that signed the CBA], and they're reviewed on an annual basis." In other words, though the mayor and FCR attempted to give the agreement a veneer of grassroots involvement, all the singers had received funding from the developer.
Further, the agreement, while technically binding, has no actual enforcement mechanism.
Atlantic Yards may be considered the most egregious case of abuse, but, Liu said, "the public has seen a string of broken promises to communities and questionable involvement by some government officials." He added that studies have singled out the city's community benefit agreements "as examples of what not to do."
Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, Senator Perkins' Eminent Domain Bill Must Be Passed
Senator Perkins' bill must be passed, or New York State will continue to be the worst eminent domain abuser in the country.
The Scores Report, Daily News writer has the key to LeBron’s brain
Was Mitch Lawrence too quick to write off the Nets' chances of landing the ultimate free-agent savior?
It’s not like Cleveland is the greatest place to live, either. Though I’m sure the status of the Atlantic Yards project would weigh heavily on LeBron’s decision to play for the Nets. The Nets have a few young pieces — Brook Lopez and Devin Harris — and LeBron might like the challenge of turning around a 10-win franchise.
NoLandGrab: Then again, "The King" might rather want to wear a crown in the next decade.
Streetsblog, This Week: Rapid Buses, Ratner Street Closures, Safer Maspeth
Wednesday evening: The city is rearranging traffic patterns and closing some blocks in the area near Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project. Learn more at this public info session on the street closings. 6 p.m.
Posted by eric at February 22, 2010 10:25 AM