PHOTO BY
TEQUILA MINSKY
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said Hudson Yards
was cynically gerrymandered into a zone for “distressed areas,” linking it to publichousing
in Harlem, so that the new megadevelopment could qualify for a visa program benefitting wealthy foreigners.
Williams: Hudson Yards ‘not for the majority’
BY TEQUILA MINSKY
At a press conference outside of The Shops and
Restaurants at Hudson Yards, at 31st St. and
10th Ave., Jumaane Williams called out how
the $25-billion Hudson Yards project focuses on the
wealthy, in more ways than one.
While people knew this project was “not meant for
the majority, to begin with, it’s like rubbing salt in
the wounds,” the new public advocate said, pointing
to some of the fi nancials behind the massive new development
just south of the Javits Convention Center.
“They got $6 billion in a tax supplement,” he said.
Williams might have been referring to the $4.4 billion
that included the extension of the No. 7 subway
line, a new school, a major park and pocket parks.
Crain’s New York Business recently wrote about a report
by The New School university that listed a total
of tax breaks of $ 1.36 billion for the megaproject.
“It is quite clear that this project was not for the
majority of this city,” he charged. “And you can’t even
buy food to eat if you work around here because Citarella
and sweetgreen behind me are cashless, making
it quite clear who is welcome here and who is not.”
Williams gestured to a map graphic of Manhattan
and added, “Hudson Yards got $1.2 billion of a visa
program that is here. It’s stunning.”
He was referring to a program targeted to help immigrants.
The map illustrates how the multibillion-dollar
Hudson Yards technically qualifi es as a “distressed
urban area” under the EB-5 program, gerrymandered
into a district that links it to public housing in Harlem.
Under the EB-5 Green Card program, if foreigners
invest $500,000 in a U.S. real estate project, they can
get permanent residence for their families. However,
this visa program is meant to help rural or economically
distressed urban areas, according to Williams.
Foreigners can also get the visas if they invest $1 million
in projects in nondistressed areas.
Hudson Yards is not in a distressed urban area.
But in 1990 when Congress created the EB-5 visa
program, it didn’t specify how geographic boundaries
should be drawn. According to the blog City Lab,
“Without their knowledge, the residents of a number
of public housing developments helped to make Hudson
Yards possible.”
“Quite literally, this project was built on the backs
of people who need the most help,” Williams charged.
“This is an employment zone degraded. My guess is
not a lot of people from the actual distressed areas
are employed here — and if they go to lunch they better
have cash.”
In response, a Hudson Yards spokesperson touted
how the large-scale development project — the biggest
private development in U.S. history — is an economic
engine for the entire city and that a number of
people from local housing projects have been hired.
Williams urged Citarella, sweetgreen and other
commercial tenants at Hudson Yards to rescind their
cashless business practices at a matter of good faith
before the City Council takes action. A bill in the
City Council would force businesses to accept cash
payments. He further called on New Yorkers to boycott
any cashless businesses at Hudson Yards and
throughout the city.
And he charged that the Hudson Yards development
partners, Related and Oxford Properties Group,
have dragged their feet on constructing affordable
units.
“At least build the 10 percent affordable housing
that you said you would,” he demanded.
PHOTO BY TEQUILA MINSKY
A sign at the new sweetgreen at The Shops
and Restaurants at Hudson Square.
6 April 18, 2019 CNW Schneps Media