SIGN THE PETITION DEMANIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT ATLANTIC YARDS! CLICK ON THE LKINK BELOW. Brooklyns Elected Officials Demand New Commitment for Atlantic Yards Affordable Housing in Advance of Sale of Forest City Ratners Interest in Project Electeds find the delay unconscionable and call on ESDC to negotiate new agreements guaranteeing an expedited construction schedule BROOKLYN, November 15, 2013: Today, a coalition of Brooklyn elected officials, who represent the communities surrounding the Atlantic Yards project, and prominent civic groups, gathered at the Fifth Avenue Committee to call on Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC), Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) to accelerate the delivery of the 2,250 units of affordable housing promised at the site and acknowledge in the newly required environmental impact statement, the socioeconomic damage to the community from the delay. The coalition also presented demands that must be met before FCRC is allowed to sell a majority interest in the Project. The group issued the following statement: In the seven years since the approval of the Atlantic Yards project, an arena has been built, but commitments of affordable housing for Brooklynites remain unmet. During the same time, the market for luxury apartments in Brooklyn has exploded, while the boroughs crisis in affordable housing spirals further out of control. We have watched with concern as the State has resisted taking action to ensure public benefits financed with taxpayer dollars are delivered as promised, even when faced with a court order to compel the review of the impacts from delaying completion from 10 to 25 years. ESDC failed to consider the impacts of the delay and now the people living in the neighborhoods surrounding the Project are being displaced at an alarming rate, which is particularly true for the many families and elderly who are being priced out of their homes due to gentrification. Now, instead of offering accountability to the people of New York, Forest City Ratner Companies has announced plans to sell a majority interest in Atlantic Yards to a foreign developer. Today we call on Governor Cuomo, ESDC, and Forest City Ratner to do the following: First, that ESDC defer approval of any sale of Forest City Ratners interest in the Atlantic Yards project until after a study of alternatives to expedite construction, consistent with the order from the New York State Supreme Court, has been completed. Second, that ESDC make any sale of Forest City Ratners interest contingent upon a written commitment to deliver the affordable apartments planned for the Atlantic Yards projects in the timeframe in which they were originally promised. Third, that the Governor, ESDC and Forest City Ratner publicly commit to improving the accountability of the Atlantic Yards project to the public, stating their support of legislation to create a dedicated local development corporation to oversee the project until its completion whose board includes outside directors appointed by the elected representatives of the people of Brooklyn. Elected officials joining this call were Assembly members James F. Brennan, Karim Camara, Joseph R. Lentol, Joan L. Millman and Walter T. Mosley; State Senator Velmanette Montgomery; City Council members Letitia James, Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, and Council member elect Laurie Cumbo; and U.S. Representatives Yvette Clarke, Hakeem Jeffries and Nydia M. Velázquez. At the time Atlantic Yards was approved in 2006, Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) committed to completing its arena and 16 towers with 2,250 affordable apartments by 2016. However, in 2009, FCRC renegotiated the timetable for the project so that it could delay completion until 2035. A State court ruled that ESDC illegally approved the 2009 change, but construction of affordable housing at Atlantic Yards has continued to languish, with the first units not expected to be occupied before 2015. youtube/watch?v=8AdRlGLgLE0
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 20:46:55 +0000
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