I wanted to clarify that the group present on the CB3 meeting is called the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and Lower East Side. In your blog, it sounded like Chinatown was a separate fight, and their residents came to the meeting in defense of Chinatown alone. The Chinatown residents along with other LES folks spoke out about the need to come together and fight as one community. I think it's important to stress that we are facing the same threat of displacement. Also, I take issue with wording of the title. I just feel that the use of the word 'mob' in relation to Chinese masses has racist connotations. I know that's not what Rob meant when he wrote this report. We urge all residents and readers of this blog to join us in our fight against displacement of our communities and for real 'affordable' housing.
Hoon Kim
National Mobilization Against Sweatshops
www.nmass.com
59 Hester St. LES
212 358 0295
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3 comments:
I've lived on the lower east side for over 10 years. These protesters are a bunch of newbies who need to find real jobs. Just do a search on the internet for their phone number and you'll come up with dozens of crazy causes they support. It is just a scam. Development in LES and Chinatown is a good thing for everyone. This neighborhood has been constantly changing for over 100 years. This place has seen so many types of people come and go. They want to stop progress but really they just want to raise money for their scam organization.
I wonder if they aren't being paid off under the table by developers who want to build high rises in the LES. If the rezoning plan fails to pass, these developers can continue to have a field day building tall ugly monstrosities int he neighborhood.
I would like to add to this discussion that the folks that are working in this Coalition to Protect Chinatown and The Lower East Side are not looking to bring everyone to the table. Which is the main issue they are having with this plan. They want to tokenize people who are struggling to get the press coverage that makes them feel better at the end of the day. They want to take this positive growth plan for our community and use it as a way to feed their egos. This is not about building a luxury wall of high rises around the rich folks. This is about having the most input in this plan. In the past 30 years no one has tried to really participate in the zoning aspect of development in the Lower East Side. Having lived here all my life. I support this plan cause it means we finally got one up on the developers and went over their heads. If this process works we can use it to help all communities facing gentrification all over Manhattan to take the ULURP process to protect our neighborhoods. The city is facing land speculation all over and we need to stop them were it hurts. These organizers haven't attempted to have a conversation about this and have waited till it was in the ULURP to come out and say something. I don't know how much i trust them. And they need to stop telling folks that public housing was not included cause the reality is that Public Housing is mostly federal property and the city cannot make decisions on the use of the land. Public Housing is facing a huge deficit which is increasing the rents annually, laying off workers who provide repairs and sanitation services and the police are treating public housing residents like second class citizens. There are larger issues looming in both the Lower East Side and Chinatown and these folks need to get their stuff together and figure out how to work with the community instead of against everyone. U r shit does stink .. my friend ... just like mines!
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