Public Housing

I think that public housing is quite necessary for New York City because of the alarming increase in the price of rent for apartments, versus the stagnant increase in wages. It is becoming very difficult for many families in New York to earn a living without being constantly under the pressure of their living expense, and living paycheck to paycheck. Investing in new public housing projects would aid in meeting the ever-growing demand for apartments that are affordable. I have lived in public housing all my life, and I have seen the firsthand effects of what public housing can offer to families in need of assistance. My family was quite poor when they arrived in New York, and the public housing project in Coney Island offered us a place to live while we were trying to set up our lives here. The rent was fair enough, that we were able to go to school and work, and live without being in fear of getting evicted or raising rent prices that would overwhelm us. Over time, my parents have been able to save up, and we are looking for a new place to live. For many public housing projects, this was the original plan, to help families in need and later on they would be well off and able to find new and better accommodations. I think that it would be important to emphasize this factor in any new public housing built, it being temporary. My public housing would be as family friendly as possible, and I’d incorporate bright colors and modern structures to eliminate the dreariness that surrounds the idea of public housing in general. Families would be required to have at least one family member who is working and has a stable job history. In the long run, rent control can have some very negative affects. It decreases incentives for builders to build new housing because of the restriction on profits. Apartments that are rent controlled and not increasing with market value will be neglected by owners because they are not motivated to make any improvements due to zero chance of profiting from doing so, and this will result in property value loss. These neighborhoods may end up deteriorating.