GOLES, a tenant protection and advocacy group, is not engaged in the management of affordable housing, so they won't be beneficiaries of the rezoning's affordable housing bonuses. GOLES may, however, receive funding from the legal support fund that the Task Force has asked that the zoning package include.
GOLES provides an indispensable community service to desperate, frightened renters in danger of losing their homes. They represent one perspective on zoning:
zoning is a tool to create affordable housing.
Other grassroots organizations like Movement for Justice in El Barrio, Harlem Tenants Council and Coalition to Save the East Village hold a different perspective on zoning:
upzoning invites development, gentrification and community displacement.
The City has divided these two groups of activists with an ultimatum:
no affordable housing without an upzoning.
That's the bone of contention: which is worse, no new affordable housing or market-rate development that undermines the affordable housing that exists?
The Task Force has asked for mitigating measures against the added market-rate speculation that an upzoning brings, like anti-harassment and anti-demolition regulations, but these are not particularly effective at preserving affordable housing.
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