Public Employee Press

Affordable housing
Union backs East New York rezoning plan

Forty percent of East New York residents pay more than half their income on rent.

By GREGORY N. HEIRES and MIKE LEE

The City Council on April 20 overwhelmingly approved a housing plan for East New York that will build thousands of new affordable housing units in the Brooklyn neighborhood.

The East New York plan is the first of 15 rezoning proposals to be considered by the Council since it passed the mayor's housing plan on March 22.

The housing initiative creates more than 6,000 new apartments and space for retail and community development.

The amended plan also includes moving 500 homeless families from shelters into affordable housing, adds $107 million in funds to the $150 million in the mayor's proposal and includes significantly improved services for residents, including a child-care facility, plans to increase employment opportunities for local residents and the establishment of an anti-harassment taskforce to protect tenants against predatory landlords.

The union fully supported the East New York rezoning plan and released an analysis showing that proposed rent levels for new affordable housing will be significantly less expensive than those of apartments currently renting in that neighborhood.

"The status quo is just not working - it's leaving East New York without the tools or investments needed to protect against rising rents," said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido on April 7. "We looked hard at the facts. And the facts are that under the city's plan, East New York will become more affordable for working men and women, such as our members."

The DC 37 report shows union members and other working families who live in the Brooklyn neighborhood are struggling with rising rents. Rents in the neighborhood rose 26 percent between 2000 and 2013.

About 40 percent of residents in East New York pay more than half their income on rent. That exceeds the citywide average of 29 percent.

Today, a one-bedroom apartment rents for $1,100 per month in East New York. The average two-bedroom apartment rents for $1,400 per month, and three bedrooms rent for $1,700. To afford these rents, residents would need to earn between $44,000 and $68,000 a year. That is well above the median household income of $34,689 in East New York - and well above what a typical worker can pay.

Many DC 37 members earn less than $39,000 year, which means they cannot afford the typical rent in East New York.

An affordable rent for them (30 percent of salary) should be no higher than $985 a month. An affordable rent for a typical DC 37 Office Aide with a salary of $30,644 would be $766 a month. The affordable rent for a Custodial Assistant with a starting salary of $33,363 is $834 a month. A Patient Care Associate with a starting salary of $39,934 can afford to pay $998 a month.

"DC 37 represents city employees whose families are working their way into the middle class," Garrido said. "Among others, we represent school cafeteria, maintenance and clerical workers. These are families of modest means, and precisely the New Yorkers in need of affordable housing."

Council member Rafael Espinal hailed the deal. "We worked out what was best in balancing the needs of the community to ensure that the people of Cypress Hills and East New York have affordable housing," he said.