Analysis of SoHo/NoHo rezoning claims
rezoning plan will kill diversity and affordability
BY MARK HALLUM
The de Blasio administration’s controversial
plan to rezone SoHo and
NoHo, which has opinionated residents
across the city divided on the topic,
could see some of the city’s trendiest real
estate become whiter and wealthier.
That is, if a new report from Village
Preservation is correct.
Criticizing the premise for Mayor Bill
de Blasio’s plan to bring affordability and
diversity to Lower Manhattan, Andrew
Berman, Executive Director of Village
Preservation, says the plan threatens the
existing diversity of the neighborhood by
pricing out Asian Americans in particular
as well as the sum 5,800 people making
less than $100,000 per year.
“The city’s SoHo/NoHo rezoning plan is
being packaged as one which will increase
equity, affordability, and diversity, and
generate a great deal of new affordable
housing. In fact, a closer examination
shows it will do none of these, and would
in fact make these neighborhoods richer,
whiter, and more expensive than they are
now, while disproportionately squeezing
out lower income tenants and people of
color,” Berman said.
Berman also contests through the study
that the rezoning would put up to 105
buildings at risk of demolition, a concern
for historical preservation, as he’s argued
in the past.
“As sure as the sun rises in the east,
someone will throw the book at whoever
tries to build affordable housing in this city,”
Mayoral spokesman Mitch Schwartz said.
“We’re not interested in freezing New York
FILE PHOTO/MARK HALLUM
City in amber. It’s time to reimagine a fairer
and better city – and that means bringing
jobs and housing to SoHo and NoHo.”
City Hall’s proposal seeks to change
course from M1-5B zoning currently
designed to allow for manufacturing and
joint living/workspace for artists in sections
defined by Canal Street to the south,
Houston Street and Astor Place to the
north, Lafayette Street and the Bowery
to the east, and Sixth Avenue and West
Broadway to the west.
The zoning change would be the first
in the area since 1971 and allow for up to
3,200 new apartments to be built. The de
Blasio administration says approximately
328 to 494 affordable units will be permanently
affordable through the Mandatory
Inclusionary Housing law, as detailed in the
Environmental Impact Statement. MIH was
approved by the City Council in 2016 and
requires 10% of new developments to be affordable
at 40% of the area median income,
calculated by region rather than by zip code.
De Blasio administration officials have
long been skeptical of Berman’s take on
the matter, claiming that it aims to keep a
certain status quo in place while some residents
in outer borough communities where
gentrification has taken place have asked
the question; if not in SoHo, then which
underprivileged neighborhood would be
up-zoned in its place?
Even the Regional Plan Association
believes this to be an equitable plan to expand
affordable housing options in Lower
Manhattan.
The plan is undergoing the ULURP
public review process and inches closer to
certification in the next few months.
Spring cleaning: Police plans to scrub the
graffiti off New York City streets in a big way
BY DEAN MOSES
Vandals beware! Police Commissioner
Dermot Shea is renewing
the NYPD’s no-holds barred
stance on graffiti throughout New York
City.
The city’s top cop said Wednesday that
graffiti will not be tolerated, and perpetrators
will be arrested, while also announcing
his latest initiative to combat this issue.
As spring slowly blooms, so does acts of
vandalism. The Police Department receives
more than 6,000 graffiti complaints per
year on both public and private property.
In a city where businesses have already
suffered massive losses during the COVID
19 pandemic, painting over graffiti
is another economic expenditure that they
can’t afford.
On March 3, Shea met with NYPD executives
and community partners on the
Lower East Side to discuss their upcoming
methods on combating graffiti.
“It’s spring. We are coming out of
COVID, but New York City needs a little
sprucing up here today. So, that’s exactly
what we need to do,” Shea said. “We think
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea announces a new graffiti cleanup effort on
the Lower East Side on March 3, 2021.
it is a great opportunity to continue to build
trust and relationships here in New York
City. It’s everything that we are trying to
do, so why not combine the two things that
we need.”
The NYPD’s Graffiti Cleanup campaign
invites members of the community to share
the location of graffiti-covered areas that
require cleaning with the police department.
With their input, the NYPD hopes to
build a bridge between community leaders,
PHOTO BY DEAN MOSES
the young members of the Law Enforcement
Explorers program, and auxiliary
officers.
Over the next month, the department
will solicit information from the community.
This project will include officers from
all 77 precincts, transit, and housing units.
“You tell us where we need to clean and
we’ll do this together,” Shea said.
NYPD Chief of Patrol Juanita Holmes
shared her excitement over the new
program, which will begin on April 10
(weather permitting) and continue on a
regular basis with tips from the public.
After receiving information on where
to clean, officers and volunteers will work
together to paint over graffiti. She calls this
initiative a “community solution to community
issues.”
“We are asking for help from community
business leaders, and just anyone in New
York City. Whether you live here or do
business here. Come out and help us on
April 10,” Holmes implored.
The NYPD has received large quantities
of paint donations from local businesses
and hopes to work with local residents
throughout New York City on this beautification
process. While there is no set
budget, the campaign is scheduled to be
an ongoing effort.
If you would like to send photos or
make suggestions on where the department
should clean up graffiti, email Graffiti@
nypd.org. This email address was recently
established by the NYPD and will be
monitored around the clock by a dedicated
police officer in the Chief of Department’s
office.
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/nypd.org