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"Support businesses and organizations that support Downtown Express" Editorial Affordable housing lessons at 50 West The deal to create a new Lower Manhattan affordable housing fund of nearly $7 million, announced two weeks ago, is most welcome news. It is an uphill battle to preserve, let alone build, below market apartments anywhere in Manhattan so every little bit helps. The fund, which came out of negotiations on the condo and hotel to be built at 50 West, has the potential to grow if the city presses Downtown developers to kick in more when public land is involved or when developers are asking for special benefits.“The constant haggling for repairs, having a hostile relationship with your landlord — as a rent-regulated tenant, this becomes your lifestyle,” she said. When families get displaced because of rising rents, their loss and struggle is clear, particularly Downtown where many lived through the hardship of 9/11 and its aftermath only to be forced out when things began to get better. But Lower Manhattan will also lose something very important if it becomes a place only for celebrities and the well-to-do. It is not easy to build affordable housing on some of the world’s most valuable real estate, but when possible, it should be done, and every effort must be made to preserve affordable apartments, because that is much more cost effective than building new ones. The 50 West deal was negotiated by Councilmember Alan Gerson, who got more out of Time Equities, the developer, and the city than could have been expected, especially since he didn’t insist on tying affordable housing money to the project at first. Borough President Scott Stringer’s strong no vote probably raised people’s eyebrows and got the city’s attention. The Bloomberg administration has made commendable progress on affordable housing across the city, but the city originally saw 50 West as a benefit in itself because it would result in important pedestrian improvements in the area and was not willing to include any affordable housing money. The city has now agreed to put in nearly $2 million into the fund and Time will contribute $5 million, in order to complete the purchase of city-owned air rights needed to build the $600-million project. These are tough battles that will have to be fought again and again, and we think the lesson learned at 50 West is that politicians and community leaders must be willing to take tough stands that will not make them popular behind the closed doors where the powers-that-be meet. But behind the doors where people struggle to pay the rent, that is precisely what is needed. The greatest gifts There are many churches, mosques and synagogues in Lower Manhattan that do important charitable work all year round and need volunteers. There are also plenty of organizations devoted to helping children, the elderly or sick that can also use your help. Downtown has an unusually high number of non-profit organizations and the chances are almost any major problem around the world has an organization with a Lower Manhattan office working to help solve it. Many of these worthy causes could use your time and money and we encourage you to give what you can to a few of them. You’ll get much more than you give.
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