Here’s what the Wagner Planner staff is reading. This week: a rising tenant movement, technology could effectively deter dangerous drivers, a new approach to renovating public housing, and meager impacts of up zonings on housing affordability.
The Revolution Against Shady Landlords Has Begun (The Nation) – “Anh-Thu Nguyen, a labor organizer in Brooklyn, told me, “I don’t care if you’re some bro in the Village paying $5,000 a month, or a little old lady in Spanish Harlem in a rent-stabilized place for 30 years. You represent a class… the landless.”
What Can Cities Do about the Most Dangerous Drivers? (Bloomberg CityLab) – “Rather than throwing up our hands, this is an area where technology can help us balance competing concerns. New York City has begun experimenting with Intelligent Speed Assistance — speed limiting tech — in city-owned vehicles. If cities are not willing or able to boot the cars of repeat offenders, or revoke their licenses, this might be a palatable alternative.”
Stats Shows That a Narrower BQE is Safer, Yet City is Considering Widening the Highway (Streetsblog NYC) – “More lanes could be needed to relieve congestion and truck traffic that may spill onto neighborhood streets, the Adams administration claims. But city officials have so far neglected to follow the de Blasio panel’s recommendations to curb cut-through traffic and disincentivize driving by closing ramps or tolling the East River Bridges.”
Jersey City is Trying to Reimagine Public Housing Redevelopment (Bloomberg CityLab) – “As cities across the US struggle to fund repairs and maintenance for aging public housing, Jersey City’s approach to mixed-income development and community engagement could hold lessons for other city leaders. The project’s success may hinge on how the city manages the relocation process.”
Extremely Thorough Academic Study Confirms NYPD Park on Sidewalks (VICE) – “According to the New York City municipal code, stopping, standing or parking on a sidewalk, crosswalk, traffic lane, or bicycle lane carries a $115 fine. And the NYPD does enforce it, at least the sidewalk part, with 32,789 tickets for parking on the sidewalk issued in the 2023 fiscal year so far.”
Zoning Changes Have Small Impact on Housing Supply (Governing) – “The results showed reforms that loosened restrictions were associated with a 0.8 percent increase in housing units at least three years after the reform was implemented. Those same reforms were not associated with any significant effects on rent. On the other hand, policies that increased restrictions on housing development were associated with small increases in rent, according to the paper.”