To be completely honest I am still a bit torn about the housing crisis and I would need to do years of research in order to actually formulate a solid proposal. There are so many competing points of view and so many paradoxes that it’s very difficult to say that one idea is completely right or wrong. So, based on my limited knowledge of the topic through the assigned articles and my short experience with renting in New York, this is what I have come up with.
Firstly, an informational website containing renting and sale prices is obviously a good idea. People have a right to know if they are overpaying for their apartments and they should be aware of the price increases in their own communities and others. Although I just read several articles about community activism, there is still a vast number of renters who are not involved or informed. The only real way to (maybe) make progress in this issue is through political action (i.e. voting, petitions, community boards, protesting, asking questions ect.).
If I were to draft an actual policy proposal I would first do extensive research about the community or communities involved. This research would involve interviews with renters and landlords in the community as well as sit ins at community board meetings. Interviews are required because not everyone is represented at board meetings as Ben and I mentioned last class; at the Bensonhurst board meeting there was a single Chinese member in a vastly Chinese community. The community board members often draft their own proposals and I would use these as a springboard, of course taking budgeting and landlord statements into consideration as well.
With the East New York plan in mind I would attempt to create something that caters more towards the actual population of the community instead of the potential gentrifiers which I believe this plan does. The “affordable” units would be designated based on the median income of the community and the percentages that fall into each range. (Say 40% of people make below $30,000. A corresponding number of units would be designated for those people.) Additionally I would direct more funds into monitoring of the current landlords so that they do not take advantage of their tenants and make sure that they are taking care of their buildings properly. Lastly I would carefully consider the current uses of buildings up for rezoning. If an area that is used for manufacturing is rezoned so that skyscrapers can be built, residential buildings will appear along with ground floor shops. These shops most likely would pay less than the current industry and would leave many people out of work. Additionally the skyscrapers would be a beacon for the wealthier who move into the community, displacing members.
Of course I miss a lot of important issues but these are the few that stood out to me.
