De Blasio Talks Real Estate With Brooklyn Bloggers
Councilman Bill de Blasio organized a Brooklyn blogger gathering on Wednesday night, ostensibly because “more and more of my constituents say they’re getting their news from blogs.” The meet-up may have also had something to do with the rumor that de Blasio is running for borough president (he admits to being interested in the gig,…
Councilman Bill de Blasio organized a Brooklyn blogger gathering on Wednesday night, ostensibly because “more and more of my constituents say they’re getting their news from blogs.” The meet-up may have also had something to do with the rumor that de Blasio is running for borough president (he admits to being interested in the gig, but says he hasn’t “made a decision yet”). Discussion at the meeting, which was attended by bloggers from Gowanus Lounge, Atlantic Yards Report, Found in Brooklyn, Pardon Me for Asking, and Green Brooklyn, touched on de Blasio’s positions with reference to a wide range of Brooklyn development issues. The capsule version: De Blasio worked at HUD before becoming a Councilman, and conversation seemed to inevitably circle back to questions of affordable housing. “The government’s approach to housing is broken across the board,” he asserted. He noted that the city and state’s hands-off policies when it comes to subsidized housing (as evidenced by the sunsetting of Mitchell-Lama, problems with the Section 8 program, and the fact that no new public housing is being created), combined with the rising tide of gentrification, have placed the onus of affordability on new construction. Thus, he thinks City Planning’s initial framework for the rezoning of Gowanus is “legitimate,” particularly in terms of the height and density that are being proposed for the Public Place site (where towers may be allowed to rise as high as 14 stories), since he believes that sort of height is necessary to support the creation of affordable housing. Similarly, he said he approved of Atlantic Yards in large part because of its “tiered approach” to affordable housing (whereby units are set aside for low- to middle-income residents), and that the project deserved the special subsidies it received through the revamp of 421-a tax abatement legislation because of the number of affordable housing units that Forest City Ratner has pledged to build. The councilman was critical of Forest City Ratner’s lack of “transparency,” especially in terms of keeping community members abreast of demolitions. He said he was also interested in ensuring “transparency” from the DEC during cleanups of toxic sites in Gowanus like the Public Place, and seeing a DOB that’s better at communicating with Brooklynites, especially when it comes to responding to citizen complaints at development sites. And so just how communicative and transparent is Bill being about his possible run for borough prez? “The world’s changed a lot since Marty came into office,” he says.
>>>HIDEOUS? it was gorgeous. really really well done… lovely. are you kidding?
It is hideous. You could tell just by looking at it that it was shoddily built, corners were cut, and materials were poor quality. The front doors were all rusted within a couple of months. The interior looked cold, plastic, fake. It is hideous. And it certainly was NOT a “brownstone” development. I used that term as sarcastically as possible in my comment. It was a condo with absolutely zero character.
>>>why all the concern about affordable housing … there should be no give aways. either you can afford it or you can’t. give people anything, and they will never figure out how to get it for themselves.
Jeezus. Love the Republican talking points. No wonder you thought it was lovely. I hear Iraq is lovely too this time of year.
sept. 28th, 3:43pm.. the brownstone development on 7th bet. 3rd and 4th was hideous? didn’t buy there because I couldn’t really afford it and hated the 4th ave corridor there, but HIDEOUS? it was gorgeous. really really well done… lovely. are you kidding?
also why all the concern about affordable housing. i have been working my ass off forever, and I do not any way shape or form believe in handouts to anyone.
there should be no give aways. either you can afford it or you can’t. give people anything, and they will never figure out how to get it for themselves.
What DID he say about the Gowanus?
I do plan to write about this, but I’m a little behind. More next week.
Norman Oder
AtlanticYardsReport.com
My last word then I gotta get off-a this thread!!!
>>>Do you think he will invite us back? I kind of feel as though we are bad guests, talking behind his back and all!
Yes. I think we will see more of this stuff since blogs give the community a voice they never had before. Bill is wise in his own self-interest, but he is also an early-adopter at what is clearly a new platform for healthy dialog. Dialog that is drastically, decades if not centuries, overdue.
I’m also with Lisanne that Norman didn’t bore me. In fact, I’m glad he does what he does b/c AY is such a clusterfuck that I simply am not interested in posting anything abt it on GBK. Thank God for AYR and DDDB. I believe the AY movements have been a success even if there are aspects of AY that are not satisfactory. That’s the way it goes… But again, the movements HAVE had real impact and imho that is very important to note.
I’m out, peace ya’ll and see ya round!
~ Ethan @ GBK
http://www.greenbrooklyn.com
Hey Katia, yes, this was my first meeting in person. I hope he does not disappoint, but I see his styrofoam and e-waste legislation going forward, so that would be good news from my point of view. I understand your concern about development in Gowanus/CG area. I used to live on 7th st betw 3rd and 4th aves and saw a hideous luxury “brownstone” go up on my block and construction on what could be a massive high-rise on the corner of 7th and 4th ave. I think it sucks. It just sucks. I moved because of it. So, I’m with you on the insanity of development in the area… That said, I am FOR responsible development that contributes to fair use of the area. If it means compromising to allow taller buildings with more AH units, I am for it — IF it is done with the minimum height and the maximum amount of concern for neighborhood-ready design.
In regards to Gowanus and waste (esp sewer waste), green building techniques and greywater recycling can greatly minimize sewage overflow problems. The whole CSO system is horrendous, but I hope to see more of those green building techniques mandated by the city — particularly in areas near our fragile or egregiously polluted waterways like the Gowanus Canal. I brought up the CSO issue at the meeting for that very reason, and while Bill seemed to appreciate my question, he did not have a pro-active-enough answer for my liking. But again, with an issue as complex as a CITY-WIDE CSO problem, the answer will NOT come overnight and it WILL require significant input from city, state and even federal buerocracy as well as public input. The more public outcry re: raw sewage in GC grows, the faster change will happen. That is precisely the reason I started Green Brooklyn, and so far the response has been encouraging both from the citizen participation and that of pols like de Blasio. I am going to be redesigning the site soon to encourage more participation and blogging from anyone in the community so there is a REAL community platform for these issues. 311 be damned. 🙂
Hey Lisanne, Lumi, Brownstoner and Ethan,
Do you think he will invite us back? I kind of feel as though we are bad guests, talking behind his back and all!
How about Gowanus Lounge…I am dying to find out what he thought.
Katia
Brownstoner: Of course it was worth it for you to write about! That’s what you guys do! Don’t get me wrong, it was informative and nice of DeBlasio & staffers to host that. I have a better grasp of the man and his issues now, I’m new to all this. Living in the middle of the re- zoning hotzone that is Bond Street has forced me to pay attention….I am painfully aware about how this will be a hot topic upcoming.
Lumi: The guy wasn’t Norman Oder, (who didn’t bore me by the way! He is needed! Although I might of looked bored, that’s just my normal expression.) He was a non- blogging citizen of NYC who also happened to be african american, so i know for sure he wasn’t Norman!
And yes I agree that DeBlasio & staffers understand that the blogosphere could be an important public relations conduit to newer Brooklyn residents, who tend to read them more than the old timers…by any means necessary I suppose…
Lisanne
Hi Ethan,
Is this the first time you met Bill in person? I liked him too when I first met him. And I also really, really wanted to believe him at first.
But I have become wiser during the last six years ( of his term as Councilman.)
Don’t worry. In due time, he will disappoint you too!
Katia Kelly
http://www.pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/