Experts blasted a local neighborhood preservation group for publishing a “misleading and disingenuous” report attacking the city’s SoHo/NoHo rezoning initiative.
The city’s plan to create more affordable housing—a dire need in Manhattan—means rezoning parts of SoHo and NoHo that are currently manufacturing districts—not friendly to residential development. The city decided that changing the rules would create opportunities for new homes.
Village Preservation, which represents Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo, is holding on to the premise that a rezoning would make these neighborhoods richer, whiter and more expensive.
… “Neighborhoods that are not bound by outdated zoning restrictions are more affordable and more accessible,” said Jessica Katz, executive director of the Citizens Housing & Planning Council.
“The erroneous claims that the proposed SoHo/NoHo rezoning would make the neighborhood richer, whiter and more expensive are especially puzzling coming from the group that fought against the Elizabeth Street affordable-housing project to create housing for low-income seniors,” she said.
