More details are emerging about the city's controversial plan to lease playground and community-center space to developers within public housing areas.
Via The Lo-Down, we've learned that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) finally posted details on the spaces that will be earmarked for private development.
Here's what's planned at Campos Plaza (image above) via the NYCHA website:
East 12th Street Site
Site Area: 26,122 SF (Approximate)
New Construction: 90,000 SF of Residential Floor Area (Approximate)
Note: 20% of proposed residential units will be available to households at or BELOW 60% of Area Median Income (AMI)*
Current Uses on Land Lease Site(s)
• 45 Parking Spaces
• Compactor Yard
• Basketball & Handball Courts
Note: NYCHA will continue to provide parking spaces for all NYCHA residents with a current legal parking permit.
Benefits for Campos Plaza Residents
• Central Plaza redesign with resident consultation
• Preference for new low-income apartments
• Emergency power generation for critical building systems
• Temporary and permanent job opportunities
• Enhanced security for development
According to the Lo-Down, the plan would see "a total of 2,026 new apartments on the Lower East Side — about 400 of them designated as permanently affordable."
Of course, all this info arrives with about a month to go before the city will issue Request for Proposals for eight NYCHA properties in NYC.
Meanwhile, tonight, Smith Houses reps are boycotting the "public information" meeting about the plan. Per their news release:
“The Tenants’ Association Exec. Committee asked NYCHA to reschedule the meeting in order to give residents at least a 10-day notice and opportunity to review the proposals, but NYCHA is deciding to go ahead anyway. The Authority is making it seem as though their plan is a done-deal and residents just have to put up with it.”
As the Daily News first reported in February, the NYCHA expects to generate $31 million to $46 million in annual lease payments, "all of which will go toward fixing up deteriorating buildings. The agency currently has a backlog of 420,000 repair orders and faces a $60 million budget gap annually."