Affordable Housing is the mantra that we keep hearing from the pro-Ratner camp, where people are willing to overlook the insane scale of the project, the sewage overflow problems, traffic problems, corruption and cronyism surrounding the process, and the lack of community input for the promise of affordable housing. I am very much for affordable housing, but it has almost become a code word in Brooklyn for pro-Ratner. But I have always felt that Ratner's promise of affordable housing always seemed hollow. Where are the guarantees that he will keep his promise? How long will that housing be affordable to the average Brooklynite? And what does Ratner really mean by "affordable?"

Well, we are getting a hint that my feelings that Ratner's promises aren't trustworthy are founded.

One way to judge Ratner's proposals (as well as the three other proposals Pataki and Bloomberg have been ignoring!) is comparing it to other projects in NYC. Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) is doing just that and finds that according to Manhattan standards, only 17% of Ratner's proposed housing would be "affordable." Remember, we were told as much as 50% would be "affordable."

From DDDB:

Forest City Ratner has promoted the "Atlantic Yards" proposal as an "affordable" housing project. While there are a total of 6,430 units proposed in "Atlantic Yards" only 2,250 (or are claimed to be "affordable." But half of those 2,250 are not considered "affordable" by the City of New York if one looks at what is going on in Manhattan.

The New York City Department of City Planning has proposed a rezoning for the East Village and Lower East Side where the "affordable" units would go to families earning a household income of 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less. The AMI for New York City, for a family of four, is $70,600. However, the proposed "Atlantic Yards" "affordable" housing component caps off at 160% of AMI.

Thus, using the City's definition of "affordable" housing for the Lower East Side and East Village rezoning, only 17% of "Atlantic Yards" would be affordable.

We just can't trust Ratner, Pataki and Bloomberg who have been trying to shove this down our throats with hollow promises and threats of eminent domain. And now that Pataki will soon be out, he will try to fast track this bad project so Eliot Spitzer will have no chance to consider it for himself.

Please send New York's Public Authorities Control Board a letter asking them to postpone a vote on the "Atlantic Yards" until the courts rule on the Federal eminent domain lawsuit. Remember, it's important to act now - the PACB may be asked to vote on the "Atlantic Yards" project before Thanksgiving.