19 Stories? How Did That Happen?

While Arrow Linen’s rezoning application was being reviewed by the Department of City Planning (DCP), the Adams administration was busy pushing the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity which purports to provide “a little more housing in every neighborhood.” If and when passed, this initiative will increase zoing across the board in NYC between 20% and 60%. Rezoning applications currently under review had to amend their applications to show the effect that passing this initiative will have on their application.

On their first pass, Arrow Linen’s owners updated their application to show that the 13 stories they’ve applied to build could be as much as 15 stories after City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. But at about the time their application entered the ULURP process, we latest amended filing for Arrow Linen’s application now shows that their 13 story application could be as high as 19 stories after City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. This means that the buildings could be 250 feet tall.

We thought it was THIS

But now it’s THIS?!?

This would increase the number of units to as many as 380. While we strongly support bringing new housing to our neighborhood, at 380 units, this will bring an additional profit of hundreds of millions of dollars to the owners of Arrow Linen and their developers – at the expense of our community.

We have brought a real and actionable alternative to the table, that would allow hundreds of units of 100% affordable housing to be brought to our community – at 7 stories, and in a way that would not displace existing tenants in the neighborhood.

If Shahana Hanif would only listen to the people who elected her to represent them, she would limit the rezoning to 7 stories (after City of Yes for Housing Opportunity), which would make possible the building of hundreds of units of affordable housing.

There is a clear choice for Council Member Hanif: provide a massive giveaway to enrich an
already wealthy family and destroy the fabric of Windsor Terrace and South Slope, or build 100%
affordable housing for the middle class and for homeless families to build their lives back.
Windsor Terrace and South Slope residents stand with working families. Where does Council Member Hanif stand?”