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Showing posts from July 27, 2014

On the Upper West Side, a House Divided by Income (Redux)

Another response to a NYT article that harkens back to racist sentiments, only this time applied to the poor: Looking over the posts, there are several consistent themes, some of which I agree with, some I abhor, and the latter are the ones I sometimes acknowledge but try and see past... The ones I express or agree with are typically equating this to racism and abhorrent, if only because our society has become so grossly unequal. The ones that I abhor are the ones that simply assume that market reasoning is sufficient to justify treating people as second class citizens. This is aligned with the ones that question the wisdom of this subsidized or middle-income arrangements in the first place, and for this I would try to see past, acknowledging that the housing situation is itself somewhat absurd. So what is an ideal housing administration like? - One that actively creates affordable housing in prime areas? - Use more of the pre-gentrified areas for mixed affordability? - One that to

On the Upper West Side, a House Divided by Income - NYTimes.com

A response to a NYT article that harkens back to racist sentiments , only this time applied to the poor: The author's ending sentiment would fit perfectly among the racist suburbs of the 60's, exemplifying the self-segregation that simply reinforces existing racism.  If the builders want the benefits of the housing such as reduced taxes, their owners should have to live with, if only to understand better, others. If they don't want what that entails, they can always live and build somewhere else. Less than providing housing, this segregation reinforces class distinctions, and should not be tolerable by the city.