Rezonification: Rezoning parts of a community by local governments, to either reduce or encourage gentrification.
On Monday, August 20, 2018, the School Construction Authority (SCA) held a groundbreaking for a state-of-the-art 1,000 seat public school in my neighborhood, East New York. On hand were Mayor Bill de Blasio, School Chancellor Richard Carranza, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, State Senator Martin Malave Dilan, State Assembly Member Erik Martin Dilan, and City Council Member Rafael Espinal.
I was asked to introduce the mayor, given my work on helping to shape to the East New York Rezone Plan, the first of many rezones throughout New York City, and tied directly to the Mayor’s 10-year housing plan.
The topic of rezoning has its opponents and proponents. My opinion is that the rezonings have a good shot at slowing down and stemming the tide of gentrification through large amounts of permanent affordable and mixed income housing, as well as a variety of tenant protections (residential tenants and merchants, too), and more.
The event also put East New York in the national news cycle: The President accused the Mayor of co-opting the phrase, “Promises Made, Promises Kept” when in fact that phrase has been around for decades, and let’s face it, the Mayor’s promise was a tangible benefit for the neighborhood.
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