October 25, 2007
Mr. Alphonso Jackson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20410
Dear Secretary Jackson:
I write today in reference to recent comments made by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Director Sean Moss in regards to his suggestion that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) sell public housing in expensive neighborhoods in order to finance future public housing in lower cost neighborhoods, as a solution to the affordable housing shortage. 14,633 people live in public housing within my district, one of the highest concentrations in the Country let alone the City of New York. To privatize just one building in our community would be entirely destructive to both our culture and our neighborhood; the mere suggestion of such has sent shockwaves through the Harlem community.
It is my belief that Regional Director Moss does not value the neighborhoods of Harlem, the Lower East Side, Chelsea or Hell’s Kitchen. These communities are a mix of public and private housing and are located within communities which would probably be labeled as ‘expensive’, as most locations within the borders of New York City would be in light of current real estate trends. If one was to take these comments at face value, one would assume that Mr. Moss does not feel that public housing residents have the right to live in upper class neighborhoods and that they should be moved into areas where people of similar economic status already reside. To propose such a plan for New York City public housing is at least elitist and at worst segregationist.
If Mr. Moss were to have talked to the residents of these public housing developments, the residents who have suffered through the bad times of these now burgeoning neighborhoods, there is a possibility that he would feel quite differently about mass displacement of public housing.
He would realize that these individuals deserve a chance at enjoying the inevitable prosperity which comes with the revitalization of neighborhoods. He would realize that the demand for public housing will ultimately be lessened if these individuals have access to more lucrative careers, within their own neighborhoods. He would realize that creating new neighborhoods of entirely lower income residents is neither the solution to the affordable housing crisis nor is it the solution to abject poverty. He would realize that once we sell off our diverse communities, they will be gone forever. He would ultimately realize that such a plan is just not right for the City of New York and will, in practice, simply worsen our preexisting problems.
With such blatantly ignorant statements such as these, there is but one action that you as a responsible Secretary can take, which is the immediate removal of Mr. Moss from his post as New York/New Jersey Regional Director. I would also suggest that he be replaced by an individual who is sensitive to and cognizant of the true complexities of the natural constituency of HUD whom are truly in need of the services outlined in your agencies mandate. Additionally, I would strongly encourage HUD to work alongside NYCHA and other concerned agencies, to provide alternate plans for the revitalization and expansion of public housing in New York. Our City must find a way to be sustainable yet supportive, and with Federal/State/Local cooperation, I have confidence that such a goal is attainable.
Sincerely,
Keith L.T. Wright
Member of Assembly
70th AD- Harlem
Chair- Subcommittee on Public Housing
Donald
October 29, 2007
Let’s see:
comments from the same anonymous peanut gallery = 3
comments from people actually identifying themselves as public housing residents = 0
What’s wrong with this picture?
Anonymous
October 28, 2007
“If one was to take these comments at face value, one would assume that Mr. Moss does not feel that public housing residents have the right to live in upper class neighborhoods . . . .”
What?! Of course they don’t have the RIGHT to live in upper class neighborhoods. Neither do I or does anyone else. I work hard to earn the priviledge of living there.
anoninHarlem
October 28, 2007
Wright’s write up is flawed. But is so is HUD’s.
Job prosperity is not dependent on where you live. My god, if that was the case we’d all be in trouble. I come from modest means and had to move from downtown to Harlem because I could no longer afford downtown. My commute got longer, but my job future was not affected.
Lower income areas need more attention and I agree with Wright that diversity of income class (especially in places like Harlem) is needed. What it brings is some pride and encouragement for lower income families, who can now reference others in their community and look on to them as role models. This is happening in Harlem, where successful, upper middle income african-americans are moving back and taking a lead in helping their community by mentoring a child, and getting involved in community activities which inject hope in to what had been a hopeless ghetto before.
But what we also must remember is families, no matter what your income, must take more accountability for raising their children and rely less on the government to take care of them. That is mentality that infects lower income areas and creates a cycle of poverty.
anon
October 28, 2007
Well Keith L.T. Wright, how do you propose HUD make up their huge deficit to continue to allow people to have housing that is virtually free? Something has to be done, this was one proposal. The idea behind this proposal was not to get people out of high income areas…it was to raise money to continue to fund this system. I don’t think the Harlem property would be worth nearly enough, but imagine if they sold off the property down in Chelsea? they could single handedly wipe away the HUD deficit in one move.
And if the entire culture of our community rests in the piss stained halls and elevators of the projects, then we truly are in trouble.