Diaz ducks his own hearing on mayor's zoning plan

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Residents from across the Bronx stormed the borough president’s office on the evening of Nov. 12 to air their grievances with Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed rezoning initiatives. Activist groups such as CASA and Banana Kelly were in attendance along with local groups like the Riverdale Community Coalition and the Riverdale Nature Preservancy.

They gave reasons for their opposition to the Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) text amendment — which would raise height limits by about a story in parts of the neighborhood and ease parking requirements for new buildings, among other changes — and the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) proposal, which would require that 25 to 30 percent of units in some buildings be affordable

A panel, which included Deputy Borough President Aurelia Greene and Community Board 7 Chair Adaline Walker Santiago listened to the input of enraged residents. Gentrification stood out as the biggest concern among the speakers.

“I don’t vote for Mandatory Inclusionary Housing because I know that’s just the first symptom of gentrification. There’s a plague coming to the Bronx now, and the name of the plague is gentrification. And this disguise is Mandatory Inclusionary Housing,” said Loletta Brown, a member of Banana Kelly.

“The mayor thinks a plan like this is going to end homelessness. It’s going to cause homelessness to skyrocket and it’s going to cause a geyser of wealth to rise to the top where there’s already plenty,” said Scott Andrew Hutchins, speaking on behalf of non-profit Picture The Homeless. Mr. Hutchins said he himself became homeless when he was priced out of his Morris Heights apartment. 

“It’s not affordable housing. It’s affordable housing for upper middle class people,” he added.

Residents erupted in chants inside room 600 of 851 Grand Concourse, where the borough president’s office is located along with courtrooms. “The Bronx is not for sale” and “What is affordable” filled the courtroom repeatedly throughout the evening’s hearing. 

Ruben Diaz Jr., Zoning for Quality and Affordability, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, rezoning, public hearing, Will Speros
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