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But I don't see why NYC has to be the northern version of latin america/caribbean/african welfare support system. That half of puerto rico is living in NYC housing projects - benefitting from my tax dollars - is obscene.
The far left in this country whines that "the US is not the world's policeman!" when it comes to foreign policy, but gets suddenly silent when asked why then should the US be the repository of the world's poor? Why is it my responsibility to financially support not only my family, but that of huge numbers of poor (and in some cases, quite lazy) welfare handout queens from Mexico, perto rico, africa, etc.?
NYC offers far, far too many incentives to the poor to come here (often illegally) and suck the city dry of benefits. OVER ONE THIRD of the city's ENTIRE BUDGET goes to welfare, that is simply INSANE, and totally unacceptable - and unsustainable.
Argue all you want about being kindly to those in need, but the pendulum has swung way, way too far and needs to be corrected, and I hate to say this, but large numbers of people need to have their benefits, including project house supports, welfare, etc., so they can leave this country. The sooner they do so, the better, so that the labor market might eventually find a better balance, as they tell their friends and relatives back home that the gravy train is over, and there is no reason to come here anymore.
When Chicago's projects were demolished, the residents were all spread into the city's once stable/decent working class areas. Now most of these areas are dangerous ghettoes and violent crime in the city is now WIDESPREAD and not just concentrated to a few areas.
How many city projects are built on water front property that's value has increased 1000 times if not more since they were built. The NYCHA housing projects are in such disarray and in need of billions of dollars to become habitable again. I don't think it's an if, it's a matter of when. The city can make billions of dollars by selling off these properties to developers and at the same time have some real affordable housing, all while creating amazing neighborhoods and creating jobs.
The question is where would the people living there go. There are options for relocation, none of them very pleasant.
How many city projects are built on water front property that's value has increased 1000 times if not more since they were built. The NYCHA housing projects are in such disarray and in need of billions of dollars to become habitable again. I don't think it's an if, it's a matter of when. The city can make billions of dollars by selling off these properties to developers and at the same time have some real affordable housing, all while creating amazing neighborhoods and creating jobs.
The question is where would the people living there go. There are options for relocation, none of them very pleasant.
The city cannot just sell these properties. That's why they haven't already done so. They would have to get approval from the FEDERAL government first and they then would have to work to relocate the inhabitants. They would not be able to sell these properties until everyone in them has been relocated or bought out, a process that would take a long time. Of course there would be a lot of lawsuits around this as well.
I do feel if they were to do what you suggest the most valuable projects to sell would be the Chelsea and Lower East Side projects. Excellent locations.
But the problem is the new areas where these people would be settled would be turned into new ghettos. So what county in the region is so eager to take in all these NYCHA people? It's probably not really worth it to the city for the most part to engage in the massive expensive.
Besides, new low income housing is being built in the city. LAMP buildings, plus the new low income housing is being built by developers on NYCHA land.
One such building in East Harlem is being rented out to people making 18k-58k and they are giving priority to NYCHA residents.
De Blasio has sold a 50% stake in 6 NYCHA projects to a developer, who is spending 80k per apartment to renovate these buildings. But HUD is subsidizing these units, so they will remain low income for at least 30 years.
The other reason why cities cannot get rid of low income people (Chicago just spread them around in working class areas after they destroyed the projects) is because you cannot live off the minimum wage. The people working in retail stores who are paid the minimum wage are on welfare.
Thus NYC will always have some form of housing projects and subsidized housing as the city needs minimum wage and other low wage workers.
The other reason why cities cannot get rid of low income people (Chicago just spread them around in working class areas after they destroyed the projects) is because you cannot live off the minimum wage. The people working in retail stores who are paid the minimum wage are on welfare.
Thus NYC will always have some form of housing projects and subsidized housing as the city needs minimum wage and other low wage workers.
Yep, if they get rid of NYC projects then most of SE Queens and places like Flatlands/Canarsie would get wiped off the map and turn into warzones. So pretty much the black middle&working classes would deal with the fallout more than anyone else.
And since the gang members/troublemakers will be spread out and no longer contained to one area, that opens up opportunities to claim brand new territories in areas without any competition and recruit new members from those new areas.
Last edited by MemoryMaker; 07-11-2015 at 06:20 AM..
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