Submitted by 1600hazenstreet t3_zwm1m6 in nyc
Flatbush_Zombie t1_j1vzbfv wrote
Reply to comment by 139_LENOX in NYCHA residents without heat, hot water on Christmas weekend by 1600hazenstreet
Demolishing the worst NYCHA buildings will likely have a long term positive affect on the lives of people currently there. Other major cities like Chicago have already done this.
This study on the outcomes of children displaced by the demolition of the Robert Taylor houses shows that moving away from these places has improved their outcomes in life.
The city has put these people in this situation, it should pay to move them out and to better housing through vouchers as is noted in the study of Chicago.
elizabeth-cooper t1_j1w5y6o wrote
That article says they relocated to better neighborhoods, but not all NYCHA buildings are in bad neighborhoods currently, not to mention you're talking about demolishing the entire NYCHA. CHA only demolished their 17 high rises with 14,000 residents. NYCHA has 300+ projects with 300,000+ residents. There is no possible way that NYC could absorb that many people into private housing being paid for by Section 8 vouchers or the like.
Flatbush_Zombie t1_j1w81gv wrote
> That article says they relocated to better neighborhoods, but not all NYCHA buildings are in bad neighborhoods currently
Sure they aren't all in bad neighborhoods, but none of them are nice places to live. Cabrini-Green sat just a few blocks from the Gold Coast and other nice lakefront neighborhoods and was less than a mile from the loop.
Look at the projects in Chelsea or the Gowanus Houses—both located next to some of the most expensive real estate in the city—and yet they have high crime and are plagued with problems. Much like New York at large, it is possible to live in a nice area and yet be in squalor.
> you're talking about demolishing the entire NYCHA...There is no possible way that NYC could absorb that many people into private housing
I'm not saying demolish all at once. This would definitely be a huge undertaking and take years if not decades to do.
Lastly, just because it is a huge change doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. No human should be forced to live in the conditions NYCHA subjects thousands to and we should be demanding the city, state, and federal government takes action to move these people to better housing.
elizabeth-cooper t1_j1w98u3 wrote
The kind of housing they could afford, even with vouchers, doesn't exist, will never exist in these numbers. And the kind of buildings that do accept vouchers tend to be run by slumlords no better than NYCHA.
Flatbush_Zombie t1_j1wbz8p wrote
Do you have sources for any of these claims?
According to this report from February 2022 1.9% of all available NYCHA units are vacant, representing about 3.6K vacant apartments.
That number is several hundred larger than the Queensbridge Houses, the largest NYCHA complex and largest public housing complex in North America.
So again, it would have to be a slow process and very well planned and executed, but even a basic amount of research shows this isn't impossible.
elizabeth-cooper t1_j1wc943 wrote
None of those are affordable housing and/or accepts housing vouchers or they wouldn't be vacant.
Flatbush_Zombie t1_j1wckex wrote
They are literally vacant NYCHA units, but thank you for letting me know you didn't read any of my sources and have yet to produce your own.
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