Author: Yashoma Boodhan (page 1 of 1)

I think that speaking to the residents of Capitol Hall had the most impact for me. I arrived to the building earlier than my peers and I spent some time outside the building asking people nearby to confirm that I was at the correct location. A man who came out of Capitol Hall was kind enough to help me. I also noticed that the people who passed in and out of the building stopped and talked to each other — and even tried to include me in their friendly conversations about Starbucks and dogs. Both of the residents who I met inside were kind enough to share their stories and both of them expressed their thanks for a second chance. Their stories, attitudes, and views of Capitol Hall gives me the idea that the system at Capitol Hall is an effective one which can benefit the state and people facing homelessness.

 
After speaking with the people who own, manage, or live in the building, I was puzzled about why Capitol Hall wasn’t the norm. Like a classmate said, it seems so obvious that buildings like Capitol Hall which provide housing and social services can benefit New York State and people facing homelessness. Although we discussed the barriers that prevent Capitol Hall from being the norm, I don’t really accept them — they seem like an excuse. It was clear to me that if New Yorkers and politicians really wanted to alleviate homelessness in New York, then they would push for, and invest in, buildings such a Capitol Hall. In doing so, they would be investing in a more tolerant, supportive, and successful New York.

-Yashoma Boodhan

I learned about the broken windows theory prior to this class and I had quite a naive view of the theory. I never really took the time to think about the real-life applications and implications of such a theory. After reading about broken windows policing and listening to Bob Gangi speak about the racial injustices as a result of broken windows policing, I started to question the effectiveness of the theory. As I considered the positives and negatives of broken windows policing, I started to wonder, if done differently, could broken windows policing be beneficial?

 
There is no doubt in my mind that current applications of broken windows policing, which include quotas and targeting minority populations, are simply wrong. There is good intent but the execution of broken windows policing is absolutely terrible. In the video we watched, I recall a man saying that broken windows policing is not a bad thing and if done differently it can be helpful. Is that really true? Can we, as a people, trust that the police will reform? To answer yes to this question, once again, seems naive. I’m not exactly sure what can, and should be done, to improve community wellness and prevent crimes but I know that forcing police officers to meet quotas builds an even bigger rift between communities and the police force and results in the victimization colored minorities. It obviously doesn’t work, so maybe it’s time to try something new.

-Yashoma Boodhan

The streets and transportation infrastructure of New York are in need of improvement. The streets of Midtown are consistently crowded and so are the subways to and from that area of the city. I commute from Queens to Manhattan daily using the A train and I often find myself struggling to fit in the carriage during rush hours. My daily commute lacks timeliness, comfort, and sometimes, safety. When “Gridlock Sam,” presented his Move NY plan, I was amazed. The plan really seemed faster, safer, and fairer for the denizens of New York City.

Sam Schwartz’s Move NY plan is supposed to make commuting in New York faster, generate jobs to maintain infrastructure, and create new mass transit routes. Although I like the Move NY plan, I am skeptical about it’s success if it were to be carried out. I strongly believe that by the time the Move NY plan can be carried out in it’s entirety, it will no longer be the best way to control congestion in New York. Reductions in congestion on the roads or in the subways as a result of the plan can attract more people, and the mass transit systems in place are already insufficient to serve the current population. In my opinion, the infrastructure necessary to expand mass transit will take too long to build and there is simply no guarantee that mass transit services will improve. I don’t think this plan could keep up with New York and its growing population.

-Yashoma Boodhan

Robert Moses was able to accumulate the power to build all of the highways, bridges, housing and parkland he did by hiding behind what the New York public authority stood for. While Moses wanted to dedicate his life to public service from a young age, his motives changed along the way and he no longer had the public welfare in mind. Although he wore the face of a public service servant, behind the scenes, he ran a corrupted political system — giving people what they wanted as long as they fulfilled his requests. Moses was able to manipulate the public and other city officials to serve his own interests by airing the dirty laundry of his adversaries with the help of the media. During his reign, Moses’ power over the people and city officials allowed him to step on the people he was supposed to serve and spend money carelessly, without consequence. At the expense of the poor, Moses was able to seize property, and build the face of New York City. Behind the walls of the public authority, Moses used his skills of manipulation, blackmail, business, and organization to erect the infrastructure that defines New York to this day.