"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]
from what I understand the distribution of those lottery properties are decided before the homes are even built
I participated in one and was told that “all the more desirable locations had been given to the most highly qualified candidates in the first round”
How the heck does that happen in BLIND lottery…once you pass the eligibility requirements everyone should be on the same playing field..but there I go smoking that crack pipe again
what is the point of this discussion? The affordable housing industry is subsidized by the government and targets different demographics depending on the project. You may agree with it or disagree with it. There is nothing you can do to stop it except not voting for politicians who support so called affordable housing.
That’s why we are probing on the process and balance of subjectivity and randomness. Does it matter if that teacher is 25 or 45? If he/she has a $20K in the bank or $200K? If he or she is black or white?
what about a single school teacher making only 45K a year or a rookie cop or a social worker. There are many sigles or young families that could use assistance buying their first home. I think there putting their money to good use..
not every brownstone is worth saving!
a friend of mine won a PACC local housing lottery to get his apartment several years ago. it required much more of the applicants than just getting your name in. you had to be a neighborhood resident for a certain period of time. there were numerous meetings that you had to attend. you also really do have to be able to qualify financially — if a recent college grad couldn’t pay the mortgage they wouldn’t qualify. i think he was originally 80th on the list but ended up getting the first choice of apartments because of people dropping out.
This isn’t a fight, it’s a discussion. No reason that topics like these should be considered untouchable, even if most politicians are afraid to go there.
for any of these lotteries, you have to meet various qualifications–income, family size–and then, no joke, all eligible entries are placed into a large clear plastic bag, and the winners are drawn out. this is done publicly.
the city subsizes a range of developments, from those for the very poor to those earning almost middle-income salaries. subsidies are much higher for the lower-income developments. but, as you can imagine, you can put $100k into one unit, or $10k into ten different units, and this balancing is really tricky.
Brownstoner, the whole affordable housing debate is politically charged. You’re opening up a can of worms.
Your phrasing regading “does a single person earning 65k need this kind of help” as a somewhat rhetorical question belies an ignorance of the affordable housing industry. You may as well question if the sun will rise tomorrow. Believe me, this is a fight you do not want to fight.
Family of four making 70k should have had fewer kids.