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Number Of People Waiting For Public Housing Now Exceeds Total Amount Of Public Housing In NYC
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Jul 24, 2013
Modified Jul 24, 2013
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By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Jul 24, 2013
Modified Jul 24, 2013
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There are more people languishing on the waiting list for public housing then there are total public housing units in New York City, as the number of people on the waiting list soared this year to 270,000 people. The total amount of public housing units in New York City (which are all occupied) is 178,900.
The New York Times profiles the dreaded "list" that determines when an individual or family can move into public housing. Like many things that provide assistance to the poor, it's both confusing and arbitrary.
The Times of tells of the trials of Lottie Mitchell, who is currently living in a homeless shelter with her 35-year-old disabled son. She's been on the waiting list for the last four years, and has had to navigate a system that actually demotes people's position on the list for becoming homeless (that's thanks to a 2005 decision by the Bloomberg administration that took away preferences for homeless people staying in city shelters).
If the need is so great, why doesn't the city just build more public housing to keep families off the street? Look no further than the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which slashed the federal government's investment in public housing, focusing instead on housing vouchers and requiring new construction projects to set aside space for affordable housing. Since then, building new public housing hasn't been financially feasible for the city. And with further cuts to housing subsidies by the federal government over the past few years, even options like Section 8 housing (which awards vouchers) are no longer possible.
As NPR pointed out earlier this month, the Bloomberg administration has built a good amount of "affordable" housing. Unfortunately, that housing isn't very affordable for many people, and the new developments that house these affordable units (often luxury condos) have raised the price of living to unsustainable levels around the city.
With NYCHA hurting and decrepit, it still has thousands of people trying to get in, a testament to just how much poverty has risen during the last 12 years.
Tagged
affordable housing
bloomberg
homelessness
nycha
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Max Rivlin-Nadler has been a contributor to Gothamist since 2013. He has also reported for the New York Times, NPR, and The Intercept. His years-long investigation into New York City's arcane civil forfeiture laws led to a series of reforms which altered a practice that had been taking millions from poor communities for decades. Recently, he brought back a surfing habit from a few years on the west coast, and would love to see you all out in the Rockaways.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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