WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - Affordable housing lottery to reduce “community preference,” two buildings score first new city subsidies, Second Avenue Subway inches toward phase tw

 

Dear New Yorkers,

A court settlement approved Monday promises big changes for the lotteries that decide who gets to rent coveted new affordable apartments.

If you enter the city’s housing lottery for an affordable unit in a new development, you’re currently at an advantage if you already live in the neighborhood. At the moment, 50% of any affordable units offered through the lotteries must go to residents of the neighborhood it’s located in.

But a landmark lawsuit filed in 2015 by the non-profit Anti-Discrimination Center argued that the allotments thwarted New Yorkers who sought affordable apartments outside their own neighborhoods — leading to intensified racial segregation as Black and Latino tenants got picked for buildings in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods and locked out of other areas.

Analyzing past lotteries, THE CITY in 2020 showed that of the 50,000 new units of affordable housing built or financed since 2014, more than half had been concentrated in just 10 predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

Former Mayor Bill de Blasio vigorously fought the lawsuit. City officials argued that the 50% set-asides for tenants already living in the same community district as a new building were politically necessary in order to ensure support from local City Council members and neighborhood residents.

But last year, under Mayor Eric Adams, the plaintiffs and city lawyers began a rapprochement that resulted in a settlement on Monday that will eventually open the vast majority of new apartments in the housing lottery to applicants citywide.

Read more about the lawsuit and settlement here.

Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Tuesday's Weather Rating: 2/10. The forecast takes an unfortunate turn today. Chilly and damp, with high temperatures near 40° F and periods of showers later. There may even be some brief periods of a gross, non-accumulating wintry mix. The vibes are not great!

Our Other Top Stories

The second phase of the planned Second Avenue Subway extension is inching forward. This stage of the project would extend the Q train to 125th Street in Manhattan, adding stops there as well as at 106th Street and 116th Street. The MTA hopes to put shovels in the ground by March. But lawsuits challenging congestion pricing could slow things down. Today, the Adams administration is poised to grant $100 million in tax breaks to upgrade two financially ailing office buildings — one in Midtown and the other in the Financial District. These are the first buildings to receive support from the administration’s new Manhattan Commercial Revitalization subsidy for real estate developers. A research team of the city Economic Development Corporation projected that the projects would generate more than 2,113 jobs within three years and retain 365 more. City officials have not pointed to leases or other evidence that these mostly empty buildings would attract tenants, nor does the tax-break program let the city recoup any of the 20-year property tax breaks if the developers fail to attract tenants to the office buildings.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Wednesday, Jan. 24: Opening reception of the Community Gardener Portrait Project: New York, an exhibition of portraits and interview excerpts of 34 gardeners from the five boroughs. Free from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park. Friday, Jan. 26: Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial, featuring work by 26 artists who participated in the Bronx Museum’s flagship AIM Fellowship. Free from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bronx Museum. Sunday, Jan. 28: A community reading of Elie Wiesel’s “Night” featuring speakers, music and a meditation space. Free from 1 p.m. (virtual and in-person) at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

THE KICKER: Calling all youth and people who know youth: applications for NYC’s Summer Youth Employment Program are now open. Opportunities for career advancement are available for young people aged 14 to 24.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

PS. Love THE CITY? Our nonprofit newsroom runs on support from readers like you. Donate here.

THE CITY's work is made possible, in part, through the support of our sponsors. Interested in becoming a sponsor of THE CITY? Contact us here.  Copyright © 2023 THE CITY, All rights reserved.