A shout out to my fellow Southeast Queens buddy, Phil Lobato, who sends me articles of interest that I sometimes miss.
While I certainly agree with the theme of the article of responsible development that does not displace so many people, like what happened in Long Island City and has become ridiculously expensive to live, we must also not tolerate how some in this community show little if any respect for neighbors, community and the environment with their bad actions and behaviors (a major reason Jamaica is the way it is). I mean what good is it to spend millions and millions of dollars to improve the community when the same type of people who have trashed it remain or better yet, quality of life laws are not enforced. Issues like:
1. Illegal garbage dumping.
2. Constant littering on streets & sidewalks.
3. Illegal dumping on household garbage in public cans or on sidewalks.
4. Property owners not being held accountable for the upkeep of their property and this includes businesses as well as home/apartment owners.
5. Illegal truck driving on residential streets.
6. Overnight parking of huge tractor trailer trucks on residential streets.
7. Illegal parking on sidewalks & streets of unlicensed and junked cars not only by autobody shops and car dealers who have no respect for this community, but residents as well.
8. Loud parties late in the evenings with huge speakers.
9. The constant barrage of music blasting from ice cream trucks while idling. A law was put into place back in 2006-2007 that made it illegal for ice cream trucks to play music while parked. Yet this issue is rarely enforced. Whenever I am in a mostly white area, you will NEVER hear an ice cream truck playing music for 30 minutes.
10. Illegal conversions, illegal parking pads and illegally cementing over everything green.
11. The horrible double parking that takes place on Merrick Blvd, Hillside Ave and other streets making for a dangerous situation and causing traffic issues.
12. Poor conditions of most streets in Jamaica.
These are just a few examples, which have been documented for a couple of years on this blog.
“Jamaica’s Element”
A ghetto mess! Just a few blocks from the downtown area.
What quality of life issue, this is called free enterprise.
Jamaica, NY
2014
More typical South Jamaica. As of 7.14.14, pretty much looks the same.
Also I have some issues with this editorial not being totally truthful. It is stated “Already, the beautification of Rufus King Park is making a difference in the recreational and cultural life of Jamaica.”
I personally go by Rufus King Park regularly and while they are still working on it, the park is always trashed with garbage due to the slob low-class people that these ministers so badly want to keep in this community. Also exactly what difference has been made in the recreation & cultural life of Jamaica.
It also goes on with “We recognize and appreciate the contributions of other voices to this conversation. Participants who created the “Jamaica NOW” action plan, for instance, have championed valuable – and viable – ideas for improving Jamaica.”
The Jamaica Action Plan has the usual suspects of crooked folks (like Rev. Floyd Flake and Congressman Meeks) and people who have been handpicked by a pretty useless Queens Borough President whose office rarely addresses complaints by several Jamaica residents.
COME ON FOLKS, LET’S KEEP IT REAL. We already have politicians in the area to blow smoke up our asses, we don’t need it coming from you as well.
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From Gotham Gazette:
A Call for Equitable Development in Southeast Queens
by Rev. Andrew Wilkes, Jul 28, 2015
Rev. Wilkes, middle, leads a prayer & voter registration drive (photo: @andrewjwilkes)
Jamaica needs development that benefits long-term residents, workers, and the families of Southeast Queens. Development is a multidimensional process. At best, the process not only supports real estate firms, but also expands the availability of affordable housing opportunities and family-sustaining jobs that pay a living wage. Although we applaud the efforts for improving Jamaica, we are concerned that current plans are not going far enough to guarantee equitable development of jobs and housing for local families.
Under the Bloomberg administration, New York City witnessed rezoning to facilitate development in industrial neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Long Island City. With that process came the escalation of rents, leases, and the overall cost of living. While some individuals benefited from this process, wide scale displacement of residents and the local workforce occurred, especially among people of color. In 2007, under the same administration, 368 blocks of downtown Jamaica were rezoned for higher-density development, meaning more units of housing, office, or retail space for the broader community of Southeast Queens. As the economy crashed in 2008, much of the anticipated development was stalled, but a real estate boom is kicking in now with estimates of more than 3,000 units of housing in the coming years. As faith leaders of Southeast Queens, we’re lifting up our voices to ensure that our community promotes equitable development of job and housing opportunities for individuals and families whose labor makes this area such a vibrant constellation of neighborhoods.
We recognize and appreciate the contributions of other voices to this conversation. Participants who created the “Jamaica NOW” action plan, for instance, have championed valuable – and viable – ideas for improving Jamaica. The plan intends to do three things: increase quality jobs and small business support; promote commercial growth and economic development; and improve livability for both residents and visitors. Already, the beautification of Rufus King Park is making a difference in the recreational and cultural life of Jamaica. The plan, however, doesn’t specify a comprehensive vision for equitable development. Without such details, our concern is that modestly inclusive projects will benignly, but mistakenly, be heralded as successes and the best we could do for our communities.
Two examples illustrate our concern. Let’s start with the NYPD lot development project on 168th and Archer Avenue. The city’s Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act defines a “living wage” as just $11.50 per hour and notably applies to construction workers on this project because the property is receiving more than $1 million in subsidy from the city Economic Development Corporation. However even if two members of a family were working full-time, with no vacations, at this wage they would still be ineligible for the affordable housing within the project because they would not make enough to meet the income threshold accorded by the zoning of the area.
Another example drives from the de Blasio administration’s plan to rezone East New York. In that community, the administration recently announced a plan for 50 percent of new housing to be affordable at neighborhood-based incomes, yet in Jamaica we are talking about just 20 percent of affordable housing being produced – and that only within a smaller “special inclusionary zone” in which the builders are only required to build if they take additional subsidy. Yet even this 20 percent is not truly affordable – a family of three would need to make at least $62,150 to be eligible for the housing, while the median income in Community Board 12 representing Southeast Queens is $50,857 per year.
Given the dynamics outlined above, our question is: what can be done differently? How can we ensure that we advance equitable development in Southeast Queens, that we build it right in our community?
Three ambitious, yet achievable goals stand out for our community, congregations, and city. First, we can lift up the moral imperative of our faith traditions to make the case for equitable development. Our religious traditions teach us that laborers deserve to be paid; that what’s done in the dark – negotiation of terms and deals – should be brought into the light; that attending to the weighty matter of justice is central to our convictions and congregations. Second, we can use city subsidy and the leverage that it brings to infuse parity into the production of affordable housing. Instead of settling for developments whose housing is 80 percent market-rate and 20 percent affordable, we can pursue an even division of residential opportunity: 50 percent market-rate and 50 percent affordable for local residents. Third, we can ensure that strong legal protections prohibit harassment and displacement among tenants living in downtown Jamaica and surrounding communities.
We celebrate the resurgence of downtown Jamaica and the surrounding community. In many respects, this resurgence is a belated recognition of the tremendous legacy and potential of Southeast Queens. We invite you to join us as we learn, pray, and take action together for a renewed call for equitable development in Southeast Queens tonight, Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m. at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York. Our best days await us, and we look forward to continued collaboration with elected officials, labor unions, congregations, and other community groups to create deeply affordable housing and family-sustaining jobs in our neighborhoods.
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Rev. Andrew Wilkes, the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York
Bishop Joseph Williams, Christ Church International
Pastor Brian Ellis Gibbs, Queens Baptist Church
Father Jeffry Dillon, Christ the King & St. Mary Magdalene