AAFE Position on East Village/LES Rezoning
 

Overall, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) acknowledges that the East Village/Lower East Side (LES) Rezoning process was conducted in a fair and open manner, and was developed through a democratic process substantiated by over three years of numerous town hall and other public meetings. AAFE supports the overwhelming majority of affordable housing advocates and organizations in the Lower East Side that the East Village/LES Rezoning proposal is a positive step in stemming the rampant gentrification and out-of-context, luxury development in our mixed-income neighborhood.

In particular, AAFE supports the following Community Board 3 recommendations to the Department of City Planning:

  1. Ensure that the Inclusionary Zoning mandate at least 30% affordable housing in perpetuity in the areas eligible for upzoning.
  2. Include the anti-harassment and anti-eviction provisions in the proposal.
  3. Encourage Green buildings.

We all understand that no rezoning plan is perfect. However, AAFE supports identifying areas where the current East Village/LES Rezoning plan can be modified, so that we may propose sound and achievable remedies. AAFE proposes the following recommendations:

  1. To increase tenant rights advocacy and education, and city support and funding for affordable housing; stronger implementation of anti-eviction, anti-landlord harassment, and anti-phony demolition laws; and strengthening of enforcement for rent stabilization and rent control laws.
  2. To urge the City and our elected officials to support these measures, as well as to take immediate steps to protect the Greater Chinatown community, and to devote resources to a full expedited Chinatown rezoning process.
  3. To conduct further investigation to quickly determine the relevance of the Chrystie Street portion south of Delancey in the East Village/LES Rezoning plan, and perhaps recommend that this part be excluded from the rezoning to be considered at a future rezoning process for Chinatown.

AAFE supports Lower East Side in its rezoning efforts to protect the quality of life for its residents, and asks for support for a similarly open, grassroots process in Chinatown. We cannot afford to be divided or play on each other's fears — the longer we dwell on this type of polarization, the longer we all remain vulnerable to the onslaught of gentrification. Our two neighborhoods are the open doorways to America for thousands upon thousands of future Americans. The faster we see our shared commonalities and goals, the sooner we can plan and implement the structure for an era of continued cooperation and mutual protection of our neighborhoods for future generations and immigrants.

For more information about AAFE’s position, please see East Village/LES Rezoning Q&A: Responding to Myths.


If you support AAFE’s position, please submit your on-line petition below.

 
 

Petition text:

We support an open, democratic rezoning process for Chinatown that includes ALL stakeholders and residents. All rezoning decisions should be reached by public consensus, and protect and promote affordable housing for low income residents, decent employment opportunities, and our unique historical and cultural character.

 
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