"Affordable" Condos Where Brownstone Stood
When we reported last Spring on the Pratt Area Community Council’s move to tear down a derelict but salvageable brownstone at 483 Washington Avenue in order to build new affordable housing, we made no secret of our dismay at the decision. The three posts on the topic generated a lots of discussion and even a…
When we reported last Spring on the Pratt Area Community Council’s move to tear down a derelict but salvageable brownstone at 483 Washington Avenue in order to build new affordable housing, we made no secret of our dismay at the decision. The three posts on the topic generated a lots of discussion and even a lengthy response from PACC’s director which we posted on the site. Although we recognize that PACC has been a very positive force in the community for a long time, we still strongly disagree with its decision to destroy a piece of Clinton Hill’s heritage. And what for? We have just learned that the new building, to be called The Dewitt Condominium, will have eight apartments. The one- and two-bedroom condos will be priced from $212,000 to $284,000 (and, from the looks of the building site, won’t be ready for some time). The email we saw had language straight out of a Corcoran listing: “These newly- constructed apartments have state-of-the-art amenities – bamboo floors, on-site laundry and modern kitchens.” First time homebuyers who make no more than $66,469 and $79,763 (depending on family size) are elegible to apply through October 27th. Applications can be picked up at a PACC office or by mailing a SASE to PACC, Attn: The DeWitt Condominium, 201 Dekalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205. Winners will be picked by lottery.
The profile of this development raises an interesting question: We see why a family making this level of income could use a helping hand, but does a single person making $65,000 a year really need or deserve a hand-out like this? Heck, we have some younger siblings recently out of college who would certainly qualify and we have a hunch they weren’t who PACC had in mind when they set this up. It would also be interesting to know how these lotteries work. Are they really random or is there a lot of subjective screening that goes on to winnow it down to a small pool from which the lucky few are “randomly” chosen? Another question: Does PACC receive government grants or does it raise its money privately? Ultimately, to whom is it responsible?
What’s Really Happening at 483 Washington [Brownstoner] GMAP
What a Difference a Week Makes on Washington [Brownstoner]
PACC Director Gives Her Side of the Story [Brownstoner]
if you want to send me a link about how syndicated tax credits drive the affordable housing industry, i’d be happy to learn about it.
obviously anyone CAN post
the question is whether posting BLATANTLY INCORRECT information is the best use or your time or the other readers’ time
Alaska is not cheap!
Alaska!
Any one who feels like it can post — this is a free blog afterall!
Of course the lottery system for selling subsidized housing is unfair. Why should some people work two jobs while others can work one and qualify for a tax payer subsidized apartment?
It’s complete BS if you ask me. Want cheap? Move to Newark, Down South, or Buffalo!
All of the programs you describe are driven by SYNDICATED TAX CREDITS. If you don’t understand how funding for affordable housing financing works, do not post.
Clinton Hillbilly,
That was part of our point. There are plenty of people who are relatively privileged (who’s to say what “over” privileged is), or certainly aren’t “under”priviliged, who could duck under these income requirements. What makes someone “deserving”, as you say?
I don’t know anything about subsidized apartments. In one form or the other someone gets the discount and someone else is going to pay for it and it is not a government (they just moving our money around). Please prove me if I am wrong.
I am not saying that assisted living is necessary bad thing but calling this affordable housing is not accurate.
anon at 4:05:
ouch!
i know about a variety of sources for affordable housing development that are not tax incentives, like community development block grants, HOME funding, and city capital dollars, which get passed on to developers by city agencies. and they all have different rules about who is eligible for them, and what portion of the area median income households are supposed to make.
what i was trying to say was that lots of money for affordable housing is federal, and the result of legislation, but the details (down to how the lotteries are run) are not part of the legislation.