Kevin Rawdon – Public Housing Crisis

There is a major issue in the real estate market of the entirety of New York City. No one would disagree with this point, however, reaching an agreeable solution is not so simple. The creation of housing projects only enhanced the ghettoization of certain areas, leaving large numbers of poor people in areas with minimal resources. In the nextcity.org article what is proposed in the way of new affordable housing, is the reservation of certain units in new buildings to have affordable rents. This solution would avoid the issues of the isolated housing project, yet it introduces other issues. Primarily, it would tend to be unpopular with the individuals renting in the same building at full price. The economic boundaries of neighborhoods are often those with the most strength. More so than racial boundaries, economic boundaries animate the borders of almost any two neighborhoods where rich meets the poor. Walking into the Upper East Side from East Harlem feels like entering a new country when one simply crossed a street. Although this proposed solution seems to be the most practical at the moment, it is not without flaws. It is far better than previous attempts at affordable housing that resulted in the effective creation of the most dangerous, crime ridden ghettos in the city.

One way this new issue could be maneuvered is by looking at the people applying for affordable housing. It is no longer exclusively the poor that need affordable housing to survive. The rents and real estate prices all across the city have skyrocketed to the extent that many who may be considered to be comfortably middle class have great trouble paying the rent. The economic diversity of those applying for affordable housing has increased since the prices have skyrocketed overall. Thus, the economic boundaries within a building may not be as stark between those paying full rent and those living in designated affordable units.

Clearly action must be taken as soon as possible. Entire neighborhoods are changing so rapidly that not only can the original residents not find an affordable alternative, but they also don’t have much time to search. With entire neighborhoods of people being economically uprooted, measures need to be taken to secure the safety of these people. The poor will not disappear regardless of the desires of the wealthy.