March 21, 2010 · www.gothamgazette.com |
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- Judith Kurens on The Long Way Home
- Ellen Balleisen on Raising the Bar
- David King on Lock Down?
- Farah Akbar on Tourist Spot?
- Glenn Pasanen on Framing the Figures
Housing Reports:
Lack of Democracy in Public Housing
The city's Housing Authority is violating federal regulations that ensure residents’ participation in policy making, according to this new report by Community Voices Heard. Among the worst violations are the agency's mismanagement of over $20 million in funds earmarked for resident participation activities and the demolishing of a Brooklyn development without holding a public hearing, the study says. It also finds that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is failing to provide the appropriate oversight to ensure that residents can meaningfully and democratically participate. 2010-01-28
What Happens After Foreclosure is Filed
Most properties in New York City that enter the foreclosure process never complete it because the homeowner either sells or becomes current on their loan, according to a new report by the Furman Center. Of those that do complete the process and end up being owned by a bank, nearly half are bought and resold within a year for significant profit. 2010-01-14
The Threat to NY's Affordable Rental Housing
A report issued by The Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development finds that private equity-backed developers have purchased an estimated 100,000 units of affordable rent-regulated apartments. The report states that "overly aggressive" investment has undermined efforts to stop the loss of affordable housing. 2009-12-08
Segregation and Subprime Loans
A new report from the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University found black individuals in more segregated urban areas across the country are more likely to receive subprime loans than those same borrowers in less segregated areas. For New York City, the report found those living in non-white areas were more likely to receive subprime loans. 2009-11-20
Opportunities for Public Housing Residents
This new report by the Pratt Center and the Brooklyn Community Foundation outlines strategies for creating and increasing opportunities for public housing residents to climb out of poverty. 2009-10-29
Homeless Shelters Hit Record
More than 39,000 homeless New Yorkers sleep in the city's shelters each night, according to a recent study by the Coalition for the Homeless. This year is the worst for homelessness since the Great Depression, the study says. 2009-10-22
Improving the Section 8 Voucher Program
A recent audit by the city comptroller found that the Department of Housing Preservation and Development has improved its Section 8 voucher program since a previous audit in 2005 found deficiencies. But the audit notes the department could still do more. Of the five recommendations in the 2005 audit, the housing department has implemented two and partially implemented three, according to the new report. 2009-08-06
What New York Can Learn from Other Cities
This new report by the Drum Major Institute offers examples from other cities of solutions to problems in the policy areas of economic opportunity, housing affordability, criminal justice, workplace standards, environmental sustainability, and health care. 2009-07-16
Analysis of the Housing Vacancy Survey
The vacancy rate of rental apartments dropped back 2002 levels and home ownership rates declined, according to an analysis by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy of the city's 2008 Housing Vacancy Survey. The report also finds that there was strong growth in new homes becoming available, with 40 percent of them in Brooklyn. 2009-07-10
Troubling Indicators in West Bronx
The West Bronx is home to the highest concentration of affordable housing, but is also bedeviled by a number of troubling statistics, according to this new report by the University Neighborhood Housing Program. There is a "convergence of negative indicators" showing signs of housing, social and economic distress in the area. 2009-07-02
A Primer on Rent Regulation
A high portion of rent regulated households still pay a large percentage of their income towards rent, according to this new report by the Citizen's Budget Commission. The report also finds that rent regulation benefits a number of higher-income families and that many low-income households live in unregulated homes. 2009-06-25
Impact of Housing Conditions on Asthma
A housing code enforcement system that does not recognize the link between asthma and housing conditions leaves asthmatic New Yorkers stuck in homes where they are unable to breathe, according this new report by Make the Road. 2009-05-22
Gentrification Displaces Students
Five high schools closings in East New York, Canarsie and Far Rockaway could be attributed to gentrification, according to a new report from the Institute for Children and Poverty. Titled "Pushed Out: The Hidden Costs of Gentrification: Displacement and Homelessness," the report suggests that students can often be displaced by gentrification. According to the report, about 2,150 students from East New York and 2,400 students from Canarsie will have to find other schools, because the city has phased out "larger, lower-performing high schools." 2009-04-28
End of the Residential Building Boom
The plummeting number of building permits issued in the first two months of 2009 signals the end of the residential building boom, according to the New York Building Congress. "At 576 units, the number of permits issued in January and February of 2009 is just 20 percent of the total reached for the same period in 2008," the Congress reports. 2009-04-23
Data Inaccuracies in Housing Repair Database
Inaccuracies and deficiencies in the Department of Housing Preservation and Development's Emergency Repair Program database could lead to billing and payment issues with vendors, according to a new report from Comptroller William Thompson's office. The report found the database had blank or incomplete and invalid figures. The comptroller's report recommends that the city ensure the data is accurate. 2009-04-05
A Blueprint for Growth
"One City/One Future: A Blueprint for Growth That Works for All New Yorkers" is the product of four years of collaboration by civic leaders, neighborhood advocates, community development organizations, labor unions, affordable housing groups, environmentalists, immigrant advocates, and others. It offers policy 54 recommendations. For the full report, visit here. 2009-03-31
State of the City's Housing and Neighborhoods
The 2008 State of the City’s Housing & Neighborhoods report by the Furman Center found that city investments into affordable housing in poor neighborhoods is more closely associated with limiting housing declines during a downturn than any other neighborhood characteristic. Overall, it found that predicting which neighborhoods will do well and which will fare poorly is difficult. 2009-03-13
Foreclosures and Crime
Neighborhoods with the highest rates of foreclosure commonly saw increases in crime, according to a new report by ACORN. Between 2006 and 2008, most high foreclosure neighborhoods in Queens saw increases in crime, the study found, while those with low rates of foreclosure saw no increase. 2009-03-06
Prevailing Wages for Affordable Housing?
Imposing government determined prevailing wages for affordable housing construction could increase total development costs by about 25 percent, according to a recent report by the Citizens Housing and Planning Council. They also found no evidence to suggest that construction safety or quality would improve, as some have argued, by imposing the wage rates. The report further suggests that many black and Latino laborers could lose their jobs if the higher wages were imposed, since they are disproportionately found in the lower wage sectors of the construction industry. 2008-12-29
Immigrants' Housing Squeeze
Immigrants living in New York City are faced with more housing problems than natives in most every respect, according to a new report by the Pratt Center for Community Development and the New York Immigrant Housing Collaborative. They put more of their income towards rent, are more likely to live in overcrowded and illegal dwellings, and have less access to affordable housing. 2008-12-04
Kids in NYCHA Perform Worse
Children living in New York City Housing Authority projects perform worse than other students, according to a new report from the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. Only 53 percent of students living in housing authority residences pass the Math Regents test, compared to 60 percent of other students. About 70 percent of students in NYCHA facilities pass the English exam, while 75 percent of students outside pass. 2008-11-25
Supportive Housing and Property Values
Supportive housing - affordable housing that offers on-site social services - does not affect the property values of surrounding homes, according a new report by The Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. Indeed, they found property values rose in the years after construction. The report examined the impacts 7,500 supportive housing units over the course of 20 years. 2008-11-07
Mortgages Fall for Blacks and Hispanics
A report by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Public Policy found new mortgages for black and Hispanics fell sharply from 2006 to 2007, while the number stayed flat for white borrowers. Asian Americans saw a 6 percent increase in new mortgages. New mortgages for blacks fell 44 percent, and new mortgages dropped by 34 percent for Hispanics. Overall, the number of new mortgages in the city dropped by 14 percent, which was attributed to the freezing of the subprime market. 2008-10-29
"Predatory Equity" and Affordable Housing
Over the course of last year, 3,656 affordable housing units in privately owned rental buildings were lost, according to a new report by the Community Service Society. The group blames "predatory equity," where private equity firms buy a property with the goal of kicking out low-income renters and replacing them with market rate tenants. The report also finds that more than 50,000 subsidized apartments belong to such real estate investors. 2008-10-09
The Regional Economy
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has released its first report on the metro region's economy since 2000. The report covers the health of Port Authority facilities, the regional economy, and has special sections on exports from the area as well as on demographic changes. 2008-10-02
Unsatisfactory Elevators
A report from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer found approximately 75 percent of elevators in New York City Housing Authority buildings are unsatisfactory. The report examined elevator inspections for the past five years. In one Brooklyn housing project, elevators failed every inspection. The report urges an immediate review of all of the authority's 3,300 elevators. 2008-09-29
Olympic-Sized Infrastructure
A new brief from the Center for an Urban Future argues New York City and the country must invest in its urban infrastructure to compete in a global economy. According to the center, the northeast region could see an additional 18 million residents by 2050. As China begins to invest in its infrastructure, the brief argues New York must make a similar investment to keep up. 2008-08-27
The High Costs of Building
The expense of building in New York City contributes to the shortage of affordable housing, according to "Raise the Roof, Lower the Costs," a new report by the Center for Rethinking Development, part of the Manhattan Institute. In the report, Rosemary Scanlon identifies some of the factors that contribute to the high costs of construction here and suggests ways she thinks the city could help bring down those costs, such as enacting zoning changes, reducing delays by speeding the city's permit process and allowing for the use of non-union labor. 2008-08-25
Construction Costs
Non-residential construction costs in the city are much higher than similar construction in other large cities across the nation, according to an analysis by the New York Building Congress. The report finds that New York is over 60 percent more expensive than Dallas; 50 percent more than Atlanta; 25 percent more than Seattle; and 20 percent more than Los Angeles. Costs are now 50 percent higher than four years ago, it said. 2008-08-14
July Foreclosures
Foreclosures in the city during July rose 67 percent over the same period last year according, to Property Shark. The number of foreclosures was a two year high, the report found. Of the four areas studied, New York saw the lowest increase, while Los Angeles saw the highest, with a 249 percent rise. One in every 10,000 homes were scheduled for foreclosure auction in New York while in Los Angeles one in every 526 were scheduled. 2008-08-08
Shelter Denied Too Often
A new report from Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum contends the city's Department of Homeless Services may make frequent errors when denying families overnight shelter. The report, which profiles several families that were denied shelter by the city, says of the 278 families that were denied shelter between October 2007 and February 2008, 61 percent were later found eligible. The report recommends the city discontinue the denial of shelter to families who apply again for overnight stay after 5 p.m. 2008-08-06
Making the Most of New York City Housing Authority’s Unused Development Rights
This survey from the Manhattan Borough President's office finds that the New York City Housing Authority owns more than 30 million square feet of development space inside and adjacent to its Manhattan projects. It urges the cash strapped authority to lease or sell the space and air rights to help fund affordable housing in the city. 2008-08-05
NYCHA Misses Resident Employee Mark
Between July 2006 and June 2007 the resident employee program at the New York City Housing Authority was not a "high priority" and, as a result, contractors did not meet its requirements, a new audit by city Comptroller William Thompson found. The program mandates any contract more than $500,000 needs to expend 15 percent of its labor costs on hiring or training public housing residents. 2008-07-07
Repairs At the Housing Authority
An audit of the New York City Housing Authority found that repairs are addressed, but residents can face long waits. The audit, conducted by Comptroller William Thompson’s office, found that repairs involving a particular skill, such as plumbing work, were not completed as promptly as emergency or routine tasks. These skill-oriented repairs were also rarely supervised by a public housing authority employee. 2008-06-09
Illegal Hotel Conversions
According to the Illegal Hotels Working Group, a collaboration of elected officials and tenant advocates, 224 buildings zoned for residential use have had illegal hotel conversions in Manhattan. Seventy-five percent of the conversions were made to rental apartment buildings, and 18 percent were in single room occupancy buildings. There were rent regulated apartments in 67 percent of the buildings that had illegal conversions. Tax subsidies were granted to 18 percent of the buildings. Most of the hotels were run by companies that specialize in them. One company named Furnished Quarters operates hotels in 41 of the buildings. The report argues the conversions add to the housing shortage and make life difficult for the permanent residents still living in the buildings. 2008-06-04
Bankless NYCHA Residents
A new report by the City Council found approximately 98,000 residents of the New York City Housing Authority are “bankless.” The report, released late last month, found that 24 percent of residents of the city’s public housing do not have a checking or savings account and 53 percent of residents use a check-cashing service. The report urges the mayor’s Center of Economic Opportunity to expand financial education opportunities for these residents. 2008-06-03
Risk of Foreclosure Wave
Due to risky lending trends, many neighborhoods across the city are vulnerable to large scale foreclosures if the housing mark slows, according to a new report by New York University's Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. The report, the center's annual "State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods," finds that city residents have been increasingly taking subprime and refinance loans. In 2006, "21 percent of all home purchase loans and 27 percent of all refinance loans were subprime, compared to the national rates of 13 percent and 16 percent respectively." Another concern is the increase in use of second liens, which have grown from 9 percent in 2004 to 30 percent in 2006. The report also finds that black and Hispanic borrowers are much more likely to have these risky loans than their white counterparts. 2008-05-01
Enough Schools for All the New Homes?
There has not been enough school construction to match the apartment construction in Manhattan, according to a new report by Borough President Scott Stringer's office. Enough new homes have been approved since 2000 across the four neighborhoods at highest risk of overcrowding to add 2,300 new students, but only 143 new classroom seats were created, the report said. It also showed that Manhattan's elementary and middle schools are already 3,900 students over capacity. 2008-04-17
New York City Foreclosures in 2007
This report from New York University's Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy looks at foreclosures of local properties in 2007. The analysis finds that a majority of the nearly 15,000 mortgage-related foreclosure filings in New York City in 2007 were on multi-family buildings, and only about 40 percent were on condominiums or single-family homes. The analysis shows that over 30,000 households (or about 76,000 New Yorkers) are living in
properties that entered the foreclosure process in 2007. The Center estimates that more than 15,000 of these households (or some 38,000 New Yorkers) were living in rental units. Most tenants living in buildings going through foreclosure face eviction if the property is sold at auction. However, tenants protected by New York State's rent regulation laws, which apply to many units in larger buildings, are not at risk. 2008-04-15
Sex Offenders in Public Housing
More than 100 registered sex offenders live in public housing projects in the city, according to a new report by Councilmember Eric Gioia. Both federal and local regulations ban former sex offenders from living in public housing projects. The report found Brooklyn had 48 former offenders living in public housing, the most of any other borough. The New York City Housing Authority said it was addressing the situation. 2008-04-07
Increase in Homelessness
More than 9,000 homeless families went to shelters each night in 2007, making it the worst year for family homelessness in recent history, according to the 2007 State of the Homeless Report by the Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy group. The report also found that 102,187 different New Yorkers slept in homeless shelters at some point during fiscal years 2007, a 5.8 increase from the previous year and a 23.4 percent increase since FY 2002. The group blamed rising housing costs, the worsening economy and some city policies for the increase. 2008-03-31
Residential Housing Boom Continues
More building permits for privately-owned residential units were issued in the city last year than any year since 1972, according to new data released by the Census Bureau. This is the second highest number since accurate records were first kept. Brooklyn and Queens saw the highest ever. 2008-03-06
Street Homelessness Declines
For the third consecutive year, the city’s street homeless population has decreased, according to a new survey released yesterday by the city’s Department of Homeless Services. The latest Homeless Outreach Population Estimate reveals the homeless street population has decreased 12 percent from last year and 25 percent since 2005. The city, which conducts the survey every January, credits several initiatives with the drop, including its NYC Street to Home outreach program. 2008-03-05
Declining Rents
Rents in a number of Manhattan neighborhoods declined by as much as 7 percent in January, according to a report by the Real Estate Group New York. The report cited "layoffs and reported losses at some of the country’s largest financial institutions" as an explanation for the drop. 2008-02-04
Development in the Bronx
Last year $1.3 billion was invested in private, commercial and institutional development throughout the Bronx, according to a report by the borough president. The borough also issued 914 new addresses in that time. The highest month for investment was June, when $453 million was invested. Last December, which wasn't included in last year's numbers because those statistics end in November, $150 million was invested in development and 75 addresses were issued. 2008-01-11
Income Property Market
The number of apartment buildings sold across the city rose 11.3 percent for the first half of 2007 over the second half of 2006, according to Miller Cicero, LLC, a real estate advisory firm. The rise was carried mainly by Manhattan which saw an increase in the number of sales coupled with a rise in prices. While there was a sharp rise in sales citywide over the second half of 2006, there were 13 percent less than the first half of 2006. Median prices rose 2.6 percent over the second half of last year. Demand was highest for properties with below market rents that could be raised later. 2007-11-30
Cost of Housing in Metro Region
The New York Metro Region is the fifth most expensive region in the nation, costing on average $303 per square foot, according to Radar Logic, a real estate research group. The region trails four metro areas in California in cost, but ranks third in price increase over the past year, rising 4.5 percent. 2007-10-25
Construction Outlook
A new report by the New York Building Congress, a trade group, published its annual three year construction outlook for the city this week. It found that construction spending will continue accelerated growth from 2007 through 2009, reaching $83 billion in that period - the strongest forecast by the group yet. The recent surge in non-residential spending will continue to rising, while residential spending will continue to thwart a national slump. Spending by government is expected to rise to $12.6 billion in 2008 and 2009 from $11.9 billion in 2006. Construction employment will continue to rise, topping 130,000 in 2009, from 116,000 in 2006. But construction costs are rising by about 1 percent a month. 2007-10-18
Subprime Lending Remains High in City
Subprime lending in New York City decreased between 2005 and 2006, but it did not come close to the drop seen nationally, according to an analysis by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy - an initiative of New York University’s School of Law and the Robert F. Wagner School for Public Service. The city's lending declined from 23 percent to 19.8 percent, while the country's rate fell far more sharply, from 17.9 to 12.8. The analysis also revealed that economic and racial disparities persist in subprime lending. Hispanics are three times as likely to get a subprime loan and blacks are four times as likely compared to white borrowers. Similar disparities were seen by neighborhood. 2007-10-16
Forclosures Continue to Rise
There were 8.5 percent more new foreclosure auctions in this quarter of the year over the last quarter, according to a new report by PropertyShark.com, a real estate data site. The 698 foreclosures this quarter constitutes a 64.2 percent rise over this point last year. Staten Island had the highest percentage increase of foreclosures over last quarter, but Brooklyn and Queens continue to have the highest number. 2007-10-04
Federal Help Not Likely for City Housing Authority
The Independent Budget Office reports that the New York Housing Authority "has recently shown a pattern of optimistic projections, delayed action, and unrealistic assumptions," in the midst of dire fiscal straits. It continues to rely on state and federal funds to help close its budget gap, and although a recent state increase will certainly help, says the IBO, the feds are not likely to help. 2007-09-21
The City Council’s Federal Agenda
The City Council released its federal agenda yesterday focusing on funding for health care related to the September 11th attacks, affordable housing and health care for children from low-income families. The council is calling for nearly $2 billion in federal funding from 2008 through fiscal year 2012 to track the mental and medical care of World Trade Center workers, as well as for the expansion of health care for others affected by the attacks. The council also urges Congress to adopt protective measures for affordable housing at the risk of foreclosure and grants for the rehabilitation of affordable housing in bad condition. The council is also calling for the reauthorization of a federal and state subsidized health insurance program for children and its subsequent expansion to higher income families. 2007-09-18
New York Has Highest Housing Closing Costs in Nation
For the third year in a row, New York has the most expensive mortgage origination and closing fees in the country, according to Bankrate.com's annual survey. A resident of New York City getting a $200,000 mortgage would pay an average $3,830 in origination, title and closing costs, according to Bankrate's survey of lenders. 2007-07-13
Housing for People with HIV/AIDS
An audit of the city's HIV/AIDS Services Administration by Comptroller William Thompson finds that the agency fails to adequately process client applications for permanent housing and requests for financial assistance. HASA provides social, financial, and vocational services to eligible individuals and families, as well as housing assistance, including permanent and transitional housing, to those who are homeless or potentially homeless. 2007-07-06
New York City Childhood Fatality Report
This report from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene takes a five-year retrospective look at intentional and unintentional injury deaths among city children, with a particular focus on the single largest contributor: motor vehicle related deaths.
Although child motor vehicle-related deaths in the city are lower than the national average and have declined during the past decade, rates are still disconcertingly high and each death is preventable. Most motor vehicle-related deaths were among child pedestrians struck by moving vehicles; nearly 60 children were fatally struck on local streets in the past 5 years, many of whom were playing in or near streets, especially during warm weather evening hours. 2007-06-15
Homeless and Vacant Buildings
The number of empty housing units in abandoned buildings exceeds the number of homeless households in shelter and on the street, according to this report from from the group Picture the Homeless and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. The survey found 24,000 potential apartments could be developed for homeless individuals. 2007-05-24
Staten Island's Future
While Staten Island offers many opportunities, the city’s least populated borough also faces an array of challenges, according to “Staten Island 2020,” a report by the Center for an Urban Future. The problems include an exodus of young people, rapidly rising housing costs and ever-longer commuter times. 2007-04-25
Construction Boom
The number of permits for new homes issued in New York City for the years 2005 and 2006 was larger than the number in any other two-year period since the early 1970s, according to an analysis issued by the office of City Comptroller William Thompson. The boom in New York reflects a general increase in new housing in the country’s densely populated older cities, although New York outperformed many other large urban areas. 2007-04-19
Affordable Housing Construction
A study by the Fiscal Policy Institute reveals that most affordable housing is built in an underground economy in which workers earn low wages and few benefits, and real costs are evaded by builders and shifted to workers, other employers and taxpayers. 2007-04-16
State of the City's Housing and Neighborhoods
This annual report from the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy looks at the quality of life in New York City's neighborhoods, drawing upon more than 1,800 types of data, from more than a dozen different government sources. Among the key findings is that less than five percent of home sales are affordable to New Yorkers earning the city's median income. 2007-04-13
Tax Credit Program for Developers Lacks Oversight
A $200 million tax credit program run by the city's Housing and Preservation Department lacks proper oversight, according to this report by City Comptroller William Thompson. The J-51 tax credit program provides tax benefits to residential developers who make improvements to their homes or those who newly convert buildings to residential use. The agency is failing to make sure all recipients are eligible and to confirm that the improvements are actually being made, according to this report. 2007-04-05
Saving New York City's Middle Class
The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy conducted a survey of New York City’s leaders to find ways to strengthen and expand the city's middle class. While New York City’s median family income is $49,374 a year, those surveyed think that it actually takes $75,000 to $135,000 annually for a family of four to have a middle-class standard of living in New York. With near unanimity, respondents agree that it is harder to enter the middle class today then it was ten years ago. 2007-04-03
Is The City Ending Chronic Homelessness?
The number of homeless families living in shelters reached a record high last month despite Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s high-profile campaign to reduce chronic homelessness, according to this report by advocacy group Coalition for the Homeless. 9,287 families stayed in shelters in February, the highest number since records began being kept in 1979, and a 17.6 percent rise from February 2005. 2007-03-08
Scaffold Safety
The Scaffold Worker Safety Task Force, created in response to a series of deaths and injuries (there were 29 construction deaths in fiscal year 2006, a two-thirds increase from the year before), issued a series of 13 recommendations in this report, “Steps To Safety,” (e.g., increase enforcement of safety rules; improve training programs; promote use of 311 to report unsafe conditions), which Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced his administration would invest $6 million to begin implementing. Most of the money will go to the creation of a Scaffold Safety Unit within the Department of Buildings. 2007-02-09
Property Tax Burden
The property tax accounts for about 40 percent of New York City’s revenues. But payment of that tax is not spread fairly around the city, says the Independent Budget Office in a report issued this week, 25 years after the current property tax system went into effect. The report found that owners of one-, two- and three-family houses pay a lower tax rate than owners of commercial property or apartment buildings. It also determined that renters, who tend to have less money, live in buildings that are taxed more heavily than co-ops or condos. 2006-12-06
Real Estate Broker Deception
This report by the New York City Council, “Brokered Deception: The Hidden Deception Of Online Real Estate Ads,” found that almost a third of the brokers who advertised as “no fee” on the online real estate listing sites Craigs List and Back Page, charged fees anyway. The report recommends that the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs begin monitoring such advertising, that fines be increased, and that the public be educated about the deception. 2006-10-30
Housing Discrimination In Brooklyn
This report by the National Fair Housing Alliance charges that real estate agents of the Corcoran Group “steered homebuyers by race and denied basic services to African Americans.” Such activity, the report argues, helps explain why New York City, “for all its diversity…remains among the most segregated areas in the United States.” It recommends that the federal government set up a testing program to “provide systematic assessments of real estate agents and companies and take appropriate policy and enforcement actions to counteract discriminatory behavior.” 2006-10-17
Housing and NYC Neighborhoods
Falling incomes and rising rents over the past three years have “significantly increased the burden housing costs impose on the city’s households,” especially for police officers, firefighters and other workers in “basic services,” according to State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods 2005, an annual report by NYU’s Furman Center For Real Estate and Urban Policy. This was true even though the pace of new construction surpassed the rate of population growth. The new residences, however, are priced above what the average New Yorker can afford. 2006-08-22
Poll: New Yorkers Talk Traffic
New Yorkers say the mayor is doing only a “fair” to “poor” job of reducing traffic jams and delays on city streets, highways and bridges, according to a survey of 800 New York City residents in the five boroughs conducted May 19 through June 4, 2006, by Michaels Opinion Research. On only one other issue, increasing the stock of affordable housing, does the Mayor receive a higher net negative rating . Mayor Bloomberg receives the highest net positive marks for keeping parks clean and safe and reducing crime. 2006-08-09
Public Housing Tenant Selection System
The New York City Housing Authority maintains two computer systems to handle tenant selection and assignment for housing, but these systems are not integrated, according this report by Comptroller William Thompson's office. Auditors found that the lack of system integration leaves the systems susceptible to manipulation so that ineligible applicants could be deemed eligible and placed in housing. 2006-07-16
Vacant Public Housing
The New York City Housing Authority leaves many apartments that are being renovated vacant for months if not years, according to an audit by City Comptroller William Thompson. The office reviewed six developments undergoing large-scale renovations and found that the residences in them were not available for rent for an average of more than three years. 2006-07-14
City Becomes More Expensive To Live
New York City has become a relatively more expensive place to live during the current economic expansion, primarily due to changes in housing costs, according to Economic Notes, a quarterly publication released today by Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. 2006-06-22
State of the City's Housing and Neighborhoods
The number of apartments in New York City within the reach of moderate-income families dropped by 17 percent between 2002 and 2005, according to this report by Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University. The report also examines a range of housing-related issues on the neighborhood level. 2006-06-21
Examining NYCHA's Plan to Preserve Public Housing
This report from the Independent Budget Office looks at the New York City Housing Authority's plan to preserve public housing given that the cost of maintaining housing continues to increase while government subsidies are being cut. NYCHA plans to transfer some housing units to the Section 8 voucher program, raise rents and fees for some tenants, and look for ways to be more flexible in spending federal subsidies. The report raises questions about the strategy, given that some elements require approval from the federal government. It also concludes that, even if the plan is implemented, "NYCHA will continue to face financial challenges in the future." 2006-06-19
Language Barrier To Housing Complaints
Housing code violations and complaints against landlords are going unreported because of the limited English of many tenants, according to a report by the Urban Justice Center on behalf of a coalition of housing, community and immigrant groups. Entitled “Hear This: The Need for Multilingual Housing Services in New York City,” the survey of 697 New York residents “from diverse immigrant communities” throughout the city found that 60 percent lived in buildings with significant housing code violations, yet only 18 percent complained to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, some saying it was because they did not speak English well enough to feel comfortable complaining. 62 percent said they did not even know the agency existed. 2006-06-13
Housing Rehabs Are Still In Good Shape
The city has spent hundreds of millions of dollars renovating dilapidated, formerly city-owned apartment buildings and then transferring their ownership to nonprofit organizations, for-profit real estate firms, and tenant associations. Years later, Independent Budget Office finds the buildings are generally still in good condition. 2006-06-06
New York Loses Affordable Housing
New York is losing its supply of housing subsidized to make it affordable to low and moderate income tenants, according to this report by the Community Service Society, entitled "Closing the Door." The report finds that over half of rental properties subdized by New York City and State have been converted to market rates, and twenty percent more are at risk. 2006-06-02
Affordable Housing Crisis Worsens
“The city continues to suffer from a significant lack of affordable housing…intensified as owners of Mitchell-Lama and Limited Dividend housing continue to leave these programs by buying out their subsidized mortgages,” states this follow-up to “Affordable No More,” a 2004 report by New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. about these two programs, which gave financial incentives for developers to construct more than 150,000 affordable apartments. But “Affordable No More: An Update” shows that “the pace at which developments leave these programs has accelerated dramatically” in the past two years. Before 2004, some 24,000 apartments were withdrawn from these two subsidized programs. Since 2004, more than 25,000 additional apartments have been withdrawn or will soon be. Among the comptroller’s recommendations are the passage of legislation to place under rent stabilization those apartments leaving the subsidized programs, and the exploration of “new partnership loan programs” that will give further financial incentive to developers to remain in the programs. 2006-06-01
Property Tax Program Benefits Luxury Buildings
A property tax savings program created to spur housing development 30 years ago may have outlived its usefulness, as Manhattan luxury developers and apartment purchasers have reaped the bulk of the program’s benefits, according to a report by City Comptroller William Thompson. An analysis of property tax savings granted under the city’s 421-a tax incentive program shows that most of the benefits have subsidized some of the most expensive housing in the city. 2006-05-25
Affordable Housing Crunch
The city’s total number of housing units reached 3.3 million in 2005, according to the initial results of the 2005 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey. This is the largest number of homes since the first such housing survey was conducted in 1965 and represents an increase of 52,000 homes since 2002. What the city press release did not say -- but press accounts did -- is that it is harder for many New Yorkers to afford those homes and apartments. While real income in New York fell by 6.3 percent from 2001 to 2004, the median monthly rent rose by 5.4 percent increase from 2002 to 2005, the study found. As a result city resident must spend an increasing percentage of their incomes on rent. 2006-02-13
Health And Death Among The Homeless
Homeless men are more than twice as likely to die of cancer than adult New Yorkers as a whole, twice as likely to have AIDS, are hospitalized disproportionately, and are 11 times more likely to have tuberculosis. These are some of the findings in "The Health of Homeless Adults In New York City," a report from the New York City Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene and of Homeless Services, which includes recommendations to improve the health of the homeless (defined as those who have spent at least one day in a shelter). 2006-01-31
State of the Homeless
Coalition for the Homeless has released its seventh "State of the Homeless" report, an annual assessment of homelessness in New York City. The report documents the persistence of record homelessness in New York City at the midpoint of the decade as well as major flaws in Mayor Bloomberg's Housing Stability Plus (HSP) program for formerly homeless families. 2006-01-26
New York City Housing Court in the 21st Century
This report by the New York County Lawyers' Association came out of a recent conference where issues facing the city's housing court, evictions, and homelessness were discussed. It provides articles and ideas on the right to counsel, how to preserve the existing housing stock, and how to provide social services through the court. 2005-12-08
Conditions at Homeless Shelter
An audit by City Comptroller William Thompson has found “horrible conditions” at a Queen homeless shelter run by the Salvation Army under a contract with the city Department of Homeless Services. According to Thompson, auditors investigating conditions at the Carlton House Shelter in South Ozone Park found “roach infestation, water damaged walls and ceilings, peeling paint, stained and frayed carpets, leaking sinks and bathtub faucets, damaged appliances, and broken cabinets and doors.” The audit also faulted the Salvation Army’s fiscal management of the shelter. 2005-11-30
Violations In Subsidized Housing
One quarter of buildings that receive rent subsidies from the city Department of Homeless Services and the Human Resources Administration have been cited by another city agency for serious violations, such as no heat and rat infestations, according to "Your Taxpayers at Work: How NYC Subsidizes Slumlords," a new report by Housing Here and Now, a tenant advocacy group. The landlords receive the city money to house homeless people and AIDS patients. 2005-10-19
Domestic Violence and Housing Discrimination
A report by the Anti-Discrimination Center of Metro New York estimates that nearly half of the city's housing providers may discriminate against survivors of domestic violence. A survey of 40 housing providers found that 27 percent
refused to rent to victims of domestic violence. Another 20 percent voiced questions about the potential renter's mental stability and concern for safety of the renter, tenants, and the housing providers themselves. While it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a survivor of domestic violence, legislation that would impose the same obligations on housing providers has been blocked in the City Council
and opposed by the mayor.
The full report is available online in .pdf format. 2005-08-11
Affordable Housing Needs in NYC
A new report by Housing First, a coalition of housing advocates, looks at what it would take to solve the city's housing crisis. Despite a real estate boom in New York, the citywide vacancy rate for rental apartments is 2.9 percent, the lowest in the last 15 years. Nearly a quarter of renters pay more than 50 percent of their incomes for housing. And 23 percent of all renters - more than 725,000 people - live in overcrowded apartments. This ten-year plan calls for $10 billion in spending on housing.
The full report is available online (in .pdf format). 2005-08-04
City's Worst Landlords
Housing Here and Now, a coalition of more than 100 housing advocate groups, clergy, and community organizations, has released a list of the city's "ten worst landlords." The organization examined violation records for more than 1500 buildings in the city, then focused on landlords with the worst records. The building owners in the report, which offers specific locations and records of complaints, collectively own 564 apartment buildings that house approximately 10,000 residents. The full report is available in .pdf format. 2005-07-28
Backlog in Building Department
This City Council report finds that the Department of Buildings cannot keep pace with the number of complaints it is receiving, which is diminishing the quality of life. The problem is particularly pronounced in Queens, according to the report. 2005-07-22
Zoning for Jobs
Simply rezoning industrial areas for residential use will threaten some 12,000 NYC jobs but will not solve the affordable housing crisis, according to the New York Industrial Retention Network. In its analysis of a recent Manhattan Institute report calling for rezoning of manufacturing areas, the network advocates new types of zoning to protect manufacturing, create affordable housing and all 2005-07-11
Housing Dead New Yorkers
An audit of the city's Human Resources Administration found that the agency violated city rules when providing emergency housing to individuals with HIV and AIDS - including paying $182,000 to house 26 individuals who were already dead. The audit done by the City Comptroller focused on HRA's payments to vendors in Fiscal Year 2003. 2005-07-07
Preventing Homelessness
The city has taken important steps to prevent homelessness and has stemmed the increase in families entering the shelter system, says a new report by the Center for New York City Affairs at New School University’s Milano School. But, the report continues, if New York wants to further reduce homelessness, it must make a greater effort to identify and help those families living in overcrowded housing situations who could otherwise end up needing emergency shelter. 2005-07-06
Housing Aid
In December, the city instituted a new program to provide rent supplements to the homeless and ended other city subsidies and the policy of giving the homeless preference in obtaining housing vouchers. A new report by the Independent Budget Office says the program could reduce the number of people in shelters and save hundreds of millions of dollars but that such success depends on several factors, such as the number of people who become homeless. 2005-03-02
Reducing Cost of Housing in New York
This report by the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University looks at two questions: (1) to what extent does the cost of building housing in New York City exceed the cost of construction in other large American cities? and (2) what steps can government and the private sector take to reduce the cost of housing development? The report then provides over 90 recommendations to reduce the cost of new housing construction. 2005-02-17
The State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods 2004
The report provides an overview of housing and neighborhood conditions in the city and summarizes recent developments in policy, law, and research related to housing. 2005-02-16
Preliminary Mayor's Management Report for Fiscal Year 2005
The Preliminary Mayor's Management Report for Fiscal Year 2005, according to City Hall, "provides an early update of how the City is performing four months into the fiscal year," offering "performance highlights and statistics for agencies, as well as data on inquiries received by the 311 Citizen Service Center."
Also, Search by agency 2005-02-15
Housing on the Far West Side
A short report by the Regional Plan Association says the Hudson Yards area could accommodate far more apartments than the 600 planned for by the city 2005-02-14
The National Low Income Housing Coalition's "Out Of Reach" Report
In its annual “Out of Reach” Report, the coalition found that low-paid New Yorkers earn less than half the money they need to live in a one- or two-bedroom apartment. In New York, a worker earning the minimum wage ($6.00 per hour) must work 121 hours per week in order to afford a two-bedroom apartment at “fair market” rent. 2004-12-21
