Category: Current Projects

East Harlem Gets Robbed!

Dear El Barrio Unite Supporters,
 
Our sponsor, N.E.R.V.E., Inc. (founded 1975) submitted an affordable housing proposal to HPD to develop 711 low rent apartments at the city site – 112th Street to 111th, from Madison Ave to Park Avenue.  It was a sustainable energy producing stand alone development utilizing new technology to keep operating cost low forever to keep rents low forever. The financing was to come from available NYC HPD and NYS subsidies with US Federal Low Income Tax Credit funds that would guarantee the construction and operational and maintenance cost for this proposal.  N.E.R.V.E., Inc. co-sponsored and co- developed the 136 unit building right across the street from this Madison Avenue site- “Los Tres Unidos” back in 1981.  This is remarkable not for profit development that was developed for the community by the community.  
 
However; and surprisingly, the City recently opted instead to select a downtown developer to do this job, offering less affordable apartments and less commitment to the East Harlem community.  Why? These are the same developers who were awarded the 108th Street and Park Avenue site known as “Lexington Gardens II” with no apts available to households earning less than $30,000 until we testified at the City Planning Commission hearing and demanded real affordable units for our low income families and friends.  Consequently HPD was forced to change that project financing to accommodate the demands of our East Harlem supporters.  So don’t expect anything from these downtown developers because they are only interested in their profit, leaving us behind…
 
Read the article highlighting the City’s housing development decisions that are affecting our communities and our local community development not for profit sponsors and developers:
 
 
 
and let us know how you feel about this.  If we can’t depend on each other, then who else can we depend on?  Look around- you tell me.
 
Dear El Barrio Unite Membership:
 
CB11 has reconvened their much anticipated ReZoning Taskforce due to our overwhelming El Barrio Unite pressure to dismantle the Mayor’s proposed unjust Rezoning for East Harlem Plan because this proposal was viewed as a displacement plan for lower income earning households that we opposed furiously.  CB11 voted against this proposal as an Action Item in Executive Session during the famous November 23rd meeting of 2015.  However, this rezoning continues to creep up attracting various nefarious schemes to downplay its direct and indirect effects detrimental to our community.  We submitted the following to compliment our own findings of how the 2003 Rezoning of East Harlem affected our community (see the EH Rezoning Effects at 
http://www.elbarriounite.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Rezoning-Scoping-Dec.-15-2016-Comments-from-RJH-Final.pdf
 
Enclosed is a report from the Chinatown Working Group which specifically targets the rezoning effects to three other neighborhoods which proves that Rezoning communities displaces low income residents.  NYC Dept. City Planning contends that this is untrue and refuses to take this into account on their analysis of East Harlem.  We oppose this unfair discriminatory action being attempted under our noses.
 
At the December 15, 2016 Public Hearing in East Harlem, El Barrio Unite submitted its own testimony-see: http://www.elbarriounite.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Jan-4-2017-CPC-Rezoning-Comments-from-RJH.pdf 
with its analysis from the Regional Planning Association Report- Saving Affordable Housing in East Harlem.  Now the CB11 Rezoning Task Force is resurfacing with a committee that we hope will help address our community fears and protect the interest of the currently discounted Low Income Families.
 
Kindly read the enclosed Chinatown Working Group Report: Chapter 5 analysis enclosed in summary for your knowledge and discussion.  Do not allow the rich and powerful to use the weak and uninformed mediocre to screw the unsuspecting lower income families who will be lost forever from El Barrio without a fighting chance.  We need a Just Affordable Housing Plan that will create housing opportunities for those most at risk to be displaced and become homeless like so many before.
 
 
 
 

East Harlem African Burial Ground Expansion

Community Board 11 applauds the City’s announcement of setting aside 20% of the 700 apts to be developed at the East Harlem (EH) African Burial Ground located at 126 St and First Avenue- a massive city owned site for development.  And so does El Barrio Unite (EBU), except EBU demanded 100% total affordable apartments for our community at this sensitive city owned site and nothing less.
 
This site has been targeted since the 2003 rezoning of EH thereby allowing 12 stories buildings to be erected at sites previously limited to 5 stories. This new rezoned height allowance doubled the apts that could be built on El Barrio sites.  That spurred speculation, which created a developers frenzy which built up 17,000 new units in new bldgs.- all of which required a household income much higher than the average in order to satisfy the much higher market rents created by the gentrification caused by this 2003 rezoning in East Harlem.  Which displaced 11% of the African American EH population and 9% of the Hispanic population= 20% of our EH community resident households disappeared as displaced families.  And the rents have continued to be increased above what the average EH household can afford, thereby placing a rent burden on more than half the EH residents ability to pay.  Thank you Mayor Bloomberg, and all the additional real estate supported politicians,  etc…  
 
Now, with the specter of the proposed 2017 EH Rezoning that will allow 36 stories bldgs on sites previously limited to 12 stories by the 2003 changes; and 5 stories previous to that, the battle continues.  Lower income families lose by the economics of affordability unless the city is pressured by community involvement to commit its resources to delivering on the East Harlem Plan proposing of 100% affordability for development on valuable city property.
 
The City is announcing 700 apts will be built on this site.  A site that will also be surrounding the discovered precolonial African American Burial Ground consecrated by the Harlem Elmendorf Dutch Reform Church back in the Niew Amsterdam days of olde New York when the Dutch established trade relations with the Lenape Indian peoples of the New York Region.  Then for $24 dollars in shiny merchandised the Native Americans were walled off the city and displaced.  And then annihilated.  We all know this story- it must not be allowed to be repeated.
 
Today- NY’s existing Native population is represented by the Ramapough Tribal Center of the Lenape Indian Nation located at Mahwah, NJ.  They have included their tribal emphasis on this early American Indian site as one of their earliest City settlements along the Harlem River which was an abundant wetlands ecosystem hosting game, fowl and fisheries that feed their tribal families since time immemorial. The Ramapoughs have expressed their interest that the Burial Ground be separated from the development site as a sacred ground- a place of worship, a place protected by NY State Cemetery proprietary rights, along with Native American practices of traditional honoring.  All this was entered into the public hearing process, entered as official documentation.  Soon after, the Community Board Land Use Committee supported this request to separate the burial ground from the total housing development site- not to be disturbed. 
 
However, 700 units will not fit into a 12 story development on the remaining separated project site- it will have to be much higher.  And that is now the conflict.  How high will this site be constructed?  El Barrio Unite opposes rezoning.  This area is a sacred site that must not be overwhelmed by surrounding buildings which breach existing zoning regulations.  Who is making these plans?  This goes against common sentiments.  We are under attack.  All for 20%.  We will lose everything as the Lenape have here in East Harlem for $24.  We call on community involvement to hold the Community Board accountable to its earliest support, and keep this project within the bounds of community expressed interests.  Where is the shame?  Who will be accountable?  When will all the solemn community voices be heard?
 
 African Burial Ground Project Will Have Some Units for Extremely Low Income Families