After reading the assigned literature, it became clear that public housing is always a good idea, it simply needs to be properly funded, organized, and maintained. Public housing seems to be the most direct balm to ameliorating the housing crisis (rising prices vs. stagnant wages) and so long as it is enacted with vision and attention, it should be a thriving enterprise, examples of which can be seen recently in East Harlem and Rockaway, and more historically in the Co-Op City project. Public housing projects under my jurisdiction would possess incredibly minimalist yet quality accommodations– quarters would be very small, yet the utilities and building materials would be of lasting design. Public squares and gardens would dot the landscape, possessing no frivolity in their aesthetic, spartan in their function and zen in their serenity. In such fashion, quality of life could be promoted while keeping costs minimal. In order to accommodate the lower class, rent controlled abodes would be a necessary installment. To allow for optimal residency, I would insist that elderly occupants of all public housing (65 +) be periodically tested to assess their work-related competency and relevance to the enrichment of the City. Those who could not pass these tests, due to senility, laziness, etc. would be forced to vacate the premises to make way for more functional residents. These elderly invalids would of course receive government sponsored accommodations outside the City, where conditions are less urgent and competitive.
Completely correct, Elijah, on the need for all public housing “to be properly funded, organized, and maintained!” Until the mid-1950s NYC public housing projects tenants had to follow specific rules, including on cleanliness, and their apartments were subject to periodic inspection. As you can see in the media, funding for maintenance has fallen woefully behind, so there is no money to repair roofs let alone to provide for waterfront protection in case of another hurricane like Sandy (2012). What now?
I don’t know how functional those small apartments would be for all the families with children and perhaps also grandparents who apply for subsidized housing. I’m also uncertain about throwing tenants out when they reach a certain age, even if they can’t function independently. Yes, I know you would provide alternative housing for them, but this is a delicate issue, both legally and psychologically. There is a similar real-life problem now: elderly tenants whose children have moved away are living in apartments with more than 1 bedroom. But what happens if a child or grandchild needs to move in? Prof. Zukin