East Harlem Rezoning

Researching about gentrification in East Harlem I’ve learned lots of new plans that are underway to change the image and population of my neighborhood. Mayor Bill De Blasio calls it rezoning which seems like a nicer name for gentrification. He wants to build high rise luxury apartments and give a portion of the rooms to low income families. Although from his perspective it seems like he’s doing a noble act but what happens to the rest of the families who live in the neighborhood. Overall, what happens to the neighborhood. The most surprising fact I’ve read is in East Harlem, only 28 percent of families depend on NYCHA for residency. Myself living in East Harlem My whole life, I feel the percentage is much higher and most certainly if the family isn’t a tenant of NYCHA then they have an alternative program for high rent relief. If the rezoning takes place in East Harlem, There’s a big chance most rent prices will rise above the affordable point for tenants and people will be forced to leave. East Harlem is filled with rich heritage, We as people build East Harlem, so if we’re nonexistent in our neighborhood because of gentrification then will East Harlem be the same?


WORKS CITED

Gonzalez, Writer. “ How Development And Rezoning Efforts Will Shape East Harlem In 2017 And beyond”  https://www.bisnow.com/new-york/news/neighborhood/how-development-and-rezoning-efforts-will-shape-east-harlem-in-2017-and-beyond-71959 web 23 March, 2017