A footnote on my role in CWG.
Why I attend CWG
I attended CWG meetings for two reasons: 1) because
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
The history of the Lower East Side Alliance, the EV/LES rezoning and the Chinatown Working Group, in 34 posts. Post 1: the origins
A history of the Lower East Side Alliance, the EV/LES rezoning, the CWG and BAN
Post 2: The encounter with the Community Board District Manager
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
At our meeting, Shelly explained in brief our concern: What could the CB do to curtail the spread of nightlife? Bars tend to have a high cash flow which means
Post 3: The formation of the Lower East Side Alliance and the town hall on bar proliferation
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 4: A movement begins and succeeds
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
In the audience was a Bleeker Street resident and local activist Zephyr (I've altered her name)
Post 5: A lesson on legislation and how ignorance rules
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
One of the means by which the new commissioner increased the flow of bars was a piece of legislation he drafted
Post 6: The end of LESA
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
The dissolution of the LESA
Post 7: Lessons for activists from the history of LESA
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
If there is a problem that immediately impacts a local demographic, it’s possible, even easy, to bring people together
Post 8: The rezoning of the East Village and Lower East Side: the background
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 9: The new CB chair, the EVCC, and the Task Force
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 10: Reality overtakes anticipation: the zoning as it really was
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
It should not have been surprising at all, and that it was a surprise indicates just how narrow local interests are and how uninformed.
Post 11: The origin of this blog, Save the Lower East Side
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Early in the process, when the Task Force had formulated its principles, I asked David, the chair,
Post 12: DCP's first town hall and its consequences, AAFE's support for upzoning in Chinatown
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
At the town hall, a variety of concerns were voiced. Present was
Post 13: Political alliances in Community District 3
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Policy-making in Community District 3 cannot be understood without knowing the close political alliances within it. At the heart of CD3 is
Post 14: Anti-gentrificationist vs affordable housing non profits and the city's strategy that divides them
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Housing activism divides between anti-displacement, the attempt to keep residents in their affordable homes, and affordable housing creation that provides new homes for those who cannot afford housing the market offers. Displacement is
Post 15: Astroturf: LESCAZ
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Poat 16: A digression: the alternative to our current dysfunctional model of affordable housing
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 17: Enter Chinese Staff and Workers Association
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
After DCP had presented its plan
Post 18: An angry hearing
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 19: The origin of the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 20: The Chinatown Working Group's first formation
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 21: CWG initial success and troubles
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 22: The second formation of the Chinatown Working Group
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 23: The CWG first public town hall and the Coalition
As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 24: The property owners, false worries
Late in the process, after the first restructuring of CWG, local property owners joined CWG. They were concerned initially thatAs always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 25: Pratt hired, reports, Victor pushes forward, property owners defect, CAAAV proposes options
After restructuring, the CWG set about the task of hiring a consultant.As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 26: Submission to CB's 1, 2 and 3, the crippling quorum
The CAPZ committee considered and voted on the Pratt options one by one,As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 27: Dysfunction and a warning
Once all the options had been transmitted to the community boards, it was the task of CWG, according to the plan that Jay had set out for us seven years prior, to press our plan forward with action. Instead, CWG handed the future of the plan to the CB's, especially CB3 which covers the lions' share of Chinatown and all of the LES areas in the CWG plan.As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 29: Continued dysfunction and collapse
Having completed a plan, Victor and MauriceAs always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 30: Coalition's meeting with DCP
Whether the CWG members were exhausted by the internal divisions described in the last post orAs always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 31: Revitalization, second restructuring and the role of CB3 and its chair
Margaret Fung, whom I cannot praise enough for her work, emailed me some six months or so after the CWG meeting pause,As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 32: The Towers
Three meetings before the pause, when Victor and Maurice were resigning and CWG was finishing up its work on the plan itself, Travis (I've altered the name) began attending. He'd waitAs always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 33: All or nothing at all
The waterfront towers presented a wedge issue for the essential CWG program.As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.
Post 34: Where we are now and persistent misconceptions
A rezoning takes a long time, as does a law suit. During the wait,As always, with the exception of public figures, I use altered names to protect the individuals in this history.