How NYC Can Afford Affordable Housing

I love how this writer was able to take something as complex as a developer's cost-benefit analysis of building new apartment buildings for lower-income residents in just one phrase: "build tall buildings".

Nice.

Wonder if she has a cure for cancer, too?

One of the commenters used the phrase "Hobbesian hellscape" and I shall be borrowing that from time to time.

Matt, I believe she was trying to indicate the need to reduce the painfully intricate and long process of review and approval for "getting things done" in NYC. There is in certain circles a reluctance to endorse virtually any tall building (NIMBYS, the GVAHP downtown) which I am assuming helps to make it economically feasible to do so only if you are selling $10MM+ apartments (One57 etc). Mitchell Lama wasn't pretty but it sure was effective in providing housing for people who make New York work. We should look towards ways to make Mitchell Lama type initiatives profitable for the private sector by easing their way instead of throwing up obstacles.

Yeah, for example, East Harlem currently has no height restrictions, effectively, and also has had like 30 new high-rises in the past 5 years. Yet now LOCAL residents want height restrictions for 60 square blocks. But ALSO want new affordable housing guarantees! Make up your fricking mind people! Its only economical, especially in not-yet gentrified areas, to have 20% or more set aside for low- or moderate income housing if you allow taller buildings. not shorter ones.

>Yeah, for example, East Harlem currently has no height restrictions,

Jason, are you a short man?