New York to use public housing and school property for luxury high-rises

In a move intended to begin the privatization of public housing stock, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced last month that it will accept requests for proposals from private contractors to build luxury housing on the property of eight of its developments in Manhattan.

Developers will be allowed to build over three million square feet of market-rate apartments. The property will be leased for 99 years to building owners, and payments to NYCHA will be frozen for the first 35 years. The property is currently occupied by parking lots, playgrounds, and other open areas inside of and adjacent to the developments.

Over 400,000 low-income and poor New Yorkers live in the 335 NYCHA developments citywide. NYCHA housing accounts for approximately 9 percent of the city’s rental apartments, and provides some of the only affordable housing in Manhattan. Read more >>

Family Homelessness Is On The Rise

WASHINGTON - In a region with seven of the 10 most affluent counties in the country, family homelessness is on the rise — straining services, filling shelters and forcing parents and their children to sleep in cars, parks, and bus and train stations. One mother recently bought $14 bus tickets to and from New York so she and her 2-year-old son would have a safe place to sleep — on the bus.

As cold weather descends on the region, the need will become increasingly acute, advocates say. That will be especially true in the District, where continued fallout from the recession and lack of affordable housing has contributed to an 18 percent increase in family homelessness this year over last.

The city has recently come under fire for turning away families seeking help as 118 overflow beds that were added last winter at D.C. General — the city’s main family homeless shelter — sit empty. A few places have recently opened up, but 500 families — some of whom are living with relatives or friends — are on a waiting list for housing. Read more >>

Study: Cannot Pay Rent on Minimum Wage Income

As part of its 2012 report on rent affordability, the National Low Income Housing Coalition released a chart that’s been floating around the Internet. It shows that there isn’t a single state in the country where it’s possible to work 40 hours per week at minimum wage and afford a two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent.

In West Virginia and Arkansas, you’d need to work at least a 63-hour week, and that’s as good as it gets. In California, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey and New York you’d need to work 130 hours or more. Hawaii comes in last place: 175 hours.

I can anticipate a few no-big-deal arguments, starting with the definition of affordability. By “affordable,” the Coalition means paying no more than 30 percent of income for housing costs (rent and utilities). And why a two-bedroom apartment, as opposed to a one-bedroom? Read more >>