Latest news with #NIMBYs
New York Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NIMBYs in million-dollar pads try to topple NYCHA plan for new apartments
6 This problem-riddled Chelsea housing project is slated to be replaced. Gregory P. Mango NIMBYs living in million-dollar pads are trying to derail the planned massive overhaul of one of Manhattan's largest NYCHA apartment complexes. The city's first-of-its-kind public-private partnership with prominent social-driven real-estate firms Related Companies and Essence Developments aims to create an entirely new neighborhood in place of the dilapidated Fulton & Elliott–Chelsea Housing projects. But some well-heeled locals are pushing back against the touted trail-blazing type of public housing. Advertisement Lydia Andre, a leader of her Chelsea neighborhood block coalition, has been knocking on the NYCHA tenants' doors, warning them of the project's dangers since it was announced. She is the first to admit she doesn't want to deal with the noise and pollution of a 16-plus-year local construction project — but she claims her opposition is mostly altruistic. 'I don't think that's outside interference,' Andre said of her efforts to raise opposition. Advertisement 'I think that's helping people speak truth to power,' she told The Post of her belief that she's protecting the tenants from displacement. Andre lives in a brownstone across the street from the NYCHA complex in an apartment that was last purchased in 2007 for $4.2 million dollars. 6 fultonelliottchelsea The design of the planned new complex moves away from the 'super block' model typically associated with public housing, while guaranteeing all current tenants will receive a new apartment in the new buildings. Advertisement The project, which will involve the demolition and rebuilding of 2,056 NYCHA units for 4,500 residents — will also construct an additional 3,500 mixed-income units. It also will feature scattered small parks and small businesses in a bid to create a more vibrant community feel. As part of her push against the plan, Andre has started championing a new candidate for City Council – a tenant who lives at Fulton Elliot – to challenge the district's incumbent of four years, Erik Bottcher, who supports the project. 'I think [Bottcher] is wrong — and you know what? So do a lot of people — that's why I got a protest candidate on the ballot and why she's qualified for matching funds,' Andre said of candidate Jacqueline Lara. 6 fultonelliottchelsea Advertisement Layla Law-Gisiko, who also lives in a million-dollar apartment in the area, has joined the fight against the plan, too, and sends weekly email blasts opposing it. Gisiko – who once ran for state assembly – may still have political ambitions, sources close to the matter told The Post. 'This project is wrong on so many levels. It siphons public funds and public land into private profits, with 91% of the financing coming from taxpayers — yet the upside goes to Related,' Law-Gisiko said. 'The first building they've targeted for demolition is the senior building. These are tenants in their 80s and 90s. If they survive one forced move, they may not survive a second. The project has relied on misinformation, manipulation, and silence. Fear is the best eviction notice—and that's exactly what's being weaponized here,' she said. Law-Gisiko runs point on the opposition to the project, alongside Fulton Elliot Houses President Renee Keitt and with the help of Lydia Andre and other neighbors. 6 Layla Law-Gisiko, a previous candidate for state assembly and a Chelsea resident, runs point on the opposition to the project. Gabriella Bass Keitt calls the project a 'land grab' and insists there is nothing in writing guaranteeing current tenants new houses. But an agreement between the city and Related has two separate clauses that protect tenants and ensure they get new homes, a review by The Post found. Advertisement Miguel Acevedo, president of the tenant association and a resident of the housing project for more than 23 years, doesn't deny that tenants feel anxious about the planned demolition but thinks the NIMBYs are actively fear-mongering. 'People always say, 'Not in my back yard,' ' he said. 'I've never seen what I'm seeing today with people outside of the development who don't live here and don't understand how unhealthy the conditions are here.' 6 This building would be replaced under the plan. fultonelliottchelsea He cited constantly broken elevators, lead, mold and a lack of working heat and water as common occurrences. Advertisement 'I always invite [the outside neighbors] to come live with us so you can see how bad it is,' he said. Acevedo said the NIMBYs are specifically targeting tenants who are behind on their rent and at risk of eviction to get behind their cause. Law-Gisiko and Andre denied the claim. It's expected that 6% of the residents may have to relocate off the site, but 94% will be able to remain in their current apartment until their new home is ready, officials said. The plan laid out by the city works like a puzzle, moving residents into empty apartments and demo-ing two buildings at a time. Advertisement 6 The current complex is rife with building-neglect issues, some residents say. Gregory P. Mango Allen Roskoff, a Democratic activist and fixture of Chelsea, lives directly across from the houses. He welcomes the project and thinks other neighbors are getting involved because they don't want noisy construction. '[The neighbors] are telling people they have to stop so that they don't have to live down the street from or listen to the construction,' he said. 'This is being done for the building, it's not being done for you — I think it's insulting to people who live there,' he said. Advertisement Sources close to the opposition have indicated they think Acevado is getting paid by Related to speak positively about the project to neighbors — which he denies. Andre and Law-Gisiko have both publicly testified also against 'City of Yes,' Mayor Eric Adams' housing plan that encourages new construction to address the Big Apple's housing shortage through zoning changes. 'They say they're for affordable housing — so why fight a plan that actually builds it?' Acevado said. But Andre fired back, 'I want to stress that this is not NIMBY-ism. 'I believe the best hedge against bad development is good/better development,' she said. 'If this project were about building 100% affordable housing on the Chelsea campuses, we would all stand down. What we object to is the idea that 70% of the campus is being turned into market-rate housing, leaving the NYCHA tenants segregated into three 38-story tall towers that will overwhelm the low-rise neighborhood on Ninth Avenue.' A NYCHA rep said that since 2019, residents at the NYCHA complex have participated in 'unprecedented, detailed and collaborative meetings and workshops' on the buildings' infrastructure needs. 'Throughout this six-year engagement process, residents have overwhelmingly made their voices heard, and themselves have outlined a plan that not only addresses over $900 million in mounting physical needs at the developments, but creates a more equitable living experience for NYCHA residents in Chelsea, inclusive of modern amenities and accessibility features, while maintaining their rights and protections,' the representative said.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Why Buy A Camper When You Could Build A Stealthier One Out Of Pallets Yourself?
There's just something about hitting the open road with no need to book a hotel or stay with a friend, because you're hauling your own place to stay for the night. Sure, current hashtag vanlife trends may be motivated by how ridiculously expensive housing has gotten, but even before Reagan voters set the U.S. on a path to ruin, Americans loved their RVs and travel trailers. The biggest problem, though, is that travel trailers are also ridiculously expensive. Want an Airstream like you see on TV? Well, the least-expensive Airstream costs nearly $50,000, and the Pottery Barn Special Edition will run you an eye-watering $171,300. That isn't even the most expensive Airstream, either. At that point, you might as well buy one of those stationary condos with an HOA and zero wheels. Wait, actually, I just checked, and the wealthy NIMBYs just blocked the new condos that were supposed to get built. Can't risk their property values, after all. So if you want a travel trailer but don't have six figures to throw around, are you out of luck? Nope. Just build your own like our friend Steve Wallis did here. It isn't pretty, but that's actually the point. Read more: These Are The Worst Transmission Recalls Of The Last 5 Years As we all know, the second-biggest problem with campers is that, even if you can afford one, everyone immediately knows what they're looking at. They all scream, "Someone's sleeping in here, and they probably have their stuff with them." And cops don't like it when people sleep somewhere without a foundation. Disguise your travel trailer as a stack of wood pallets, though, and there you go. Problem solved. Instead of everyone assuming you're a shifty ne'er-do-well, they'll just think you're headed to a bonfire or a Real American (TM) doing Real Work. Sure, he could have probably done a slightly better job ensuring the entire setup was watertight, but it's not like the travel trailers and RVs people spend six figures on have the best reputation there, either. Plus, it has a skylight. And modern batteries mean it's possible to set up interior lights, an entire security system with exterior cameras and a slow cooker. Just don't let anyone from Louisiana see that Crock-Pot "jambalaya" he makde for dinner, even if it probably tasted better than the vast majority of camping meals. Does Canada have Tony Chachere's? Surely, you can at least get good ole Tony C's up in Canada, Steve. What are you gonna do while the jambalaya's slow-cooking? Well, that's the great thing about campers. Just walk into a nearby corporate chain restaurant, catch the Canadian Ice Soccer game on one of the many TVs, sip a beer or two, and even if two turns into 12, you've still got a bed within stumbling distance and a pot of warm jambalaya to go back to. If that isn't luxury living, I don't know what is. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
The Age
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
One Liberal leader will be grateful for Dutton's demise
If there is one Liberal grateful for Peter Dutton's stunning leadership failings – and his history-making defeat – it must be NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman. Dutton's demise will be the making of Speakman, and will cement his leadership heading into the 2027 state election. But to capitalise on the complete rejection of the federal Liberals – now seen as a party that is anti-renewables, anti-women and anti-migrant – Speakman must ignore the white male Boomer membership of his party, the so-called base, which has proven to be completely out-of-touch with modern Australia. Instead, Speakman must make a virtue of his best asset: a sizeable chunk of his party room are Millennials, including nine MPs under the age of 40. This is a demographic cohort that punished the conservatives at the federal poll. Those younger MPs should guide Liberal policy heading into the 2027 election. The most crucial policy involves housing. The NSW Liberals have struggled to land a position on whether to be NIMBYs or YIMBYs. If the federal results are anything to go by, areas with an increasing number of apartments – such as Bennelong and Parramatta – turned their backs on the conservatives. Opposing high-density living options, such as units around railway stations, will only keep younger voters away. The NSW Liberals need to be a party of YIMBYs. But housing is not the Liberals' only weakness. Election after election, they have failed to acknowledge that if women are to vote for their party, it needs more women candidates. The only conclusion you can draw is that some parts of the organisation – that mystical base that selects candidates – do not really want women in parliament. The party refuses to back quotas, yet cannot find a better way to achieve equal gender representation within its ranks. To be fair, the state Liberals have had a better track record than their federal counterparts, though men still outnumber women in the lower house (15 to nine). However, when you combine both houses of parliament, Liberal women make up 45 per cent of the party room. The party needs to build on that, not rest on its laurels. You need to only look to Gladys Berejiklian's protege Gisele Kapterian, who is on track to buck the overwhelming trend and hold the once blue-ribbon federal seat of Bradfield for the Liberals. Kapterian is an exemplary candidate for the NSW Liberals moving forward: an accomplished progressive woman from a migrant background who wants to serve. Indeed, NSW Labor heavyweights were rooting for Kapterian to beat teal candidate Nicolette Boele amid fears she would run for a state seat if unsuccessful. Kapterian, in Labor's view, would be a threat in Macquarie Street. Berejiklian, mark two. Although the ABC and Nine initially called the seat for Boele, the vote in Bradfield is ongoing and, as of Wednesday, Liberal strategists were quietly confident that postal and absentee ballots would swing the seat in Kapterian's favour. That will be a shame for the state Liberals, who no doubt would have welcomed her into their party room. Her election to federal parliament will at least provide one bright moment for the conservatives in NSW.
Sydney Morning Herald
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
One Liberal leader will be grateful for Dutton's demise
If there is one Liberal grateful for Peter Dutton's stunning leadership failings – and his history-making defeat – it must be NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman. Dutton's demise will be the making of Speakman, and will cement his leadership heading into the 2027 state election. But to capitalise on the complete rejection of the federal Liberals – now seen as a party that is anti-renewables, anti-women and anti-migrant – Speakman must ignore the white male Boomer membership of his party, the so-called base, which has proven to be completely out-of-touch with modern Australia. Instead, Speakman must make a virtue of his best asset: a sizeable chunk of his party room are Millennials, including nine MPs under the age of 40. This is a demographic cohort that punished the conservatives at the federal poll. Those younger MPs should guide Liberal policy heading into the 2027 election. The most crucial policy involves housing. The NSW Liberals have struggled to land a position on whether to be NIMBYs or YIMBYs. If the federal results are anything to go by, areas with an increasing number of apartments – such as Bennelong and Parramatta – turned their backs on the conservatives. Opposing high-density living options, such as units around railway stations, will only keep younger voters away. The NSW Liberals need to be a party of YIMBYs. But housing is not the Liberals' only weakness. Election after election, they have failed to acknowledge that if women are to vote for their party, it needs more women candidates. The only conclusion you can draw is that some parts of the organisation – that mystical base that selects candidates – do not really want women in parliament. The party refuses to back quotas, yet cannot find a better way to achieve equal gender representation within its ranks. To be fair, the state Liberals have had a better track record than their federal counterparts, though men still outnumber women in the lower house (15 to nine). However, when you combine both houses of parliament, Liberal women make up 45 per cent of the party room. The party needs to build on that, not rest on its laurels. You need to only look to Gladys Berejiklian's protege Gisele Kapterian, who is on track to buck the overwhelming trend and hold the once blue-ribbon federal seat of Bradfield for the Liberals. Kapterian is an exemplary candidate for the NSW Liberals moving forward: an accomplished progressive woman from a migrant background who wants to serve. Indeed, NSW Labor heavyweights were rooting for Kapterian to beat teal candidate Nicolette Boele amid fears she would run for a state seat if unsuccessful. Kapterian, in Labor's view, would be a threat in Macquarie Street. Berejiklian, mark two. Although the ABC and Nine initially called the seat for Boele, the vote in Bradfield is ongoing and, as of Wednesday, Liberal strategists were quietly confident that postal and absentee ballots would swing the seat in Kapterian's favour. That will be a shame for the state Liberals, who no doubt would have welcomed her into their party room. Her election to federal parliament will at least provide one bright moment for the conservatives in NSW.
Business Journals
21-04-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Bill to end landmark abuse in Seattle, Tacoma heads to governor's desk
Only two legislators voted against the bill that seeks to curtail weaponization of the landmarking process. A bill that aims to end abuse of municipal landmark processes is on its way to Gov. Bob Ferguson's desk. The House on Saturday unanimously concurred with the Senate's approved version, SHB 1576, which requires the consent of an owner to nominate a property for landmark designation. Today in some jurisdictions anyone can nominate a property to be landmarked and, as a result, slow down redevelopment. Ferguson's office did not immediately respond to the Business Journal's query about whether he'll sign the bill, but given its bipartisan support, he likely will. It's a blow to the not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) crowd, and Seattle developer Ben Martiz of Great Expectations took to the social platform X to celebrate the end of weaponization of the landmark process, which he called "the biggest tool NIMBYs have to block housing. ... No longer can a single person declare a structure they don't own a landmark and block development." Only two senators, Democrats Claudia Kauffman of Kent and Steve Conway of Tacoma, voted aginst the legislation. The Business Journal has reached out to both of comment. Related content Builders, developers and civic groups like the Seattle and Bellevue chambers lobbied for the bill. Microsoft also signed a letter of support. Supporters of the legislation, including the state chapters of the Associated General Contractors and commercial real estate trade group NAIOP, as well as the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, said getting through the landmark process, especially in Seattle, can be time-consuming and costly, requiring consultants. In Seattle, a 44-story, 550-unit mixed-use apartment tower proposed at 2005 Fifth Ave. is in its 12th meeting with the landmarks board. The project would replace a 1927 building that was named a city landmark in 2017. "It's fantastic to see the state being the grown up and putting a stop to this nonsense. But it's also stunning it was happening for so long," Maritz posted. "The whole thing shows how out of touch our city leadership has been that we didn't stop it ourselves." The legislation affects only those local governments, including Seattle and Tacoma, that today do not require owners' consent to landmark. In addition, a building must be at least 40 years old to be landmarked, up from Seattle's cutoff of 25 years. The legislation does not undo any existing designations, nor interfere with the designation process in historic districts like Pioneer Square. Owners' consent is not required for buildings over 100 years old.
