De Blasio, Williams Say 421-a Alternative Needed
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Flatlands City Council Member Jumaane Williams both decried the expiration of the state 421-a program on Friday after developers and the trade unions couldn’t come up with an agreement to extend the long running program.
Under 421-a, developers were given subsidies for building a certain percentage of affordable units. While the program has been somewhat controversial, it’s expiration will cost the city thousands of units of affordable housing.
De Blasio, in a press conference yesterday said he spoke with both Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie about reviving talks in Albany to work out a deal that would keep the program.
“I’m deeply disappointed that this plan that we believe fundamentally was better for the taxpayer, ended the subsidy – the large amounts of luxury housing by the taxpayers – achieve more affordable housing, cut the City subsidy. I mean, just look at the benefits of this plan. And it was something where there was a real consensus in this city that it was progress and reform. So, I’m deeply disappointed that the way it was pursued has failed in terms of the Albany process. And Albany has a chance to make it right and fix it because this is crucial to continuing the work we need to do to create affordable housing,” said de Blasio.
Williams said 421-a failed to create enough affordable housing to justify the substantial tax breaks given to developers and the program’s expiration is an opportunity to rethink the city and sate’s approach to development and affordable housing.
“Whether it’s a new version of 421-a, or something different, New York City must have a tax incentive program that encourages developers to build real affordable housing. At the same time, we can’t afford to give away tax breaks without ensuring the creation of housing that is affordable for working and low-income families and provides good jobs for local residents, which means workers must be paid fair wages and new developments must also include permanent, on-site affordable units at 40% AMI or lower,” said Williams.
Now, we need all parties to come back to the table, take a fresh look at our options and create a plan to build housing with meaningful affordability requirements, fair labor standards, livable wages and equally as important, plans to ensure that jobs will go to communities too often ignored and underrepresented,” he added.
Adams, Gillibrand, Hamilton, Williams Thoughts On MLK Day
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Central Brooklyn State Senator Jesse Hamilton and Flatlands City Council Member Jumaane Williams released the following abridged statements yesterday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day yesterday:
“We know that Dr. King’s dream is unfinished. Today, as we reflect on the road ahead of us, I am reflecting on his words: “We must learn to live together as brothers, or we are going to perish together as fools,” said Adams.
“We live in challenging times as a city, as a nation, and as a globe. We are surrounded by beautiful diversity in Brooklyn, where 47 percent of us speak a language other than English at home. Yet, there are demagogues in our midst trying to split us apart, to vilify Muslims, Latinos, and other groups.
“We must be King-like and remember our core values as Americans and as decent human beings. We must be King-like and resist the extremists that promote divisive hate speech and want to close our borders to people in need. We are a nation of diversity, the sum of peoples from all over the world.
“Let us be King-like and embrace our hyphens. We are African HYPHEN American, Dominican HYPHEN American, Caribbean HYPHEN American, Chinese HYPHEN American, Jewish HYPHEN American, German HYPHEN American. Dr. King knew that our diversity is our strength. We cannot be weakened by those who fail to see that.
“Let us embrace the hyphen in the year ahead, embrace the diversity we share. We are all members of the greatest race alive – the human race. God bless the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
Gillibrand said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day gives the country a chance to look back and celebrate Dr. King’s incredible life, and then look ahead, to map out where we are heading as a nation.
“We need equal pay for equal work, so a single mom can take care of her kid just as well as a single dad. We need day care that doesn’t bankrupt a family. We need to finally make gun trafficking a federal crime, so that guns from states with lax gun laws stop flowing into New York. And we need paid leave in this country, because eventually all of us are going to have moments when we need to miss work to take care of our families – or we need them to take care of us. We need new policies that actually reflect the way things are in this country in the year 2016,” said Gillibrand.
Hamilton said as the city and country reflects on the incredible passion and dedication of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and those who sacrificed so much during the Civil Rights Movement, let’s rededicate ourselves to the struggle for social justice today.
“A living wage, equal pay for equal work, a justice system that everyone can have confidence in – let’s honor King’s legacy by continuing the struggle for the critical social advances of today,” said Hamilton.
Williams said Dr. King’s agitation and resistance against systemic injustice helped point America in the right direction of our long ‘moral arc.’
“Far too many who will invoke his name today are fighting hard daily to repeal the progress he died for and worse are selective in describing the legacy he left behind. Let us not use this day to sanitize Dr. King’s message, but instead, use it to remember that even if afraid, we must stand up for what’s right, just and inclusive for all. Only then will we take the next steps toward that mountaintop that he envisioned for all of us,” said Williams.
Brooklyn Young Republican Club Remember Seth Low
Members of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club yesterday commemorated the 166th birthday of the club’s founder and first President Seth Low (Born Jan 18,1850 – Died Sept 17,1916).
Low, a beloved civic Brooklynite, who served as president of the club from 1880-81, also served as the 23rd mayor of Brooklyn from 1881-1885.
He was also the First President of Columbia University From 1890-1901, diplomatic representative of the United States for the International Peace Conference at The Hague, and 92nd Mayor of New York City Jan 1,1902- Dec 31,1903.
During his time as mayor, Low was a leading municipal reformer during the Progressive Era. He was chairman of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama from 1907 until his death in 1916. From 1907, he was also president of the business-labor alliance the National Civic Federation.
Brooklyn Young Democrats Hold Post Holiday Party
The scrappy Brooklyn Young Democrats Club is holding a post holiday party at 7 p.m. tomorrow night at Halyard’s, 406 Third Avenue in Gowanus.
Connect with the up-and-coming movers and shakers in Brooklyn as the club recognizes Democrats who led the way in 2015 on Young Dem issues in the borough and kick off efforts for 2016.
Tickets are $20 for Student Dems, $25 for Young Dems, and $35 for Professional Dems. Every ticket purchase (https://
Eligible members are anyone between the ages of 16 and 36 who are registered to vote with the Democratic Party as well as live, work or attend school in Kings County.
Here’s the Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1001550136591256/
