Programs & Events
Preserving Neighboorhood Character vs. Affordable Housing
Date: Friday, November 18th 2005
In fall 2005 our breakfasts focused on the growing tension between opposition to higher density in neighborhoods and concerns about the affordability of housing. Communities across the city and the country often vehemently oppose developments that are built at higher densities than existing uses, voicing concerns about traffic, strains on infrastructure, and community character. Yet others contend that such higher densities represent “smarter growth” and are essential for increasing housing supply and thereby reducing pressure on housing prices.
In our first breakfast of the Fall 2005 series, our panelists considered the extent and nature of the tension between the goal of preserving neighborhood character and the need to make housing affordable. Three speakers discussed their particular experiences with this tension:
- Don Capoccia, of BFC Partners, who has used higher density to support affordable housing in the Madison Park, Madison Plaza and Madison Court developments in Harlem and the Schaefer’s Landing development on the Williamsburg/Greenpoint waterfront in Brooklyn;
- Andrew Berman, Executive Director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, who has led efforts to downzone parts of the West Village;
- Chris Kui, Executive Director, Asian Americans for Equality, and member of the New York City Planning Commission.
