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Dear Neighbors and Friends,

N.Y.H.S.C. (New Yorkers for a Human Scale City) is a coalition of 82 groups, like ours, who share the same problems.

We all believe it is time to ask elected officials to change the way policy happens in our city.

N.Y.H.S.C. seeks a new policy discussion citywide. The problems we face cover zoning, affordable housing, public space development, historic district management and quality of life problems. They all need to be addressed ASAP.

What do we mean?

• City agencies and real estate interests are riding roughshod over neighborhood concerns about livability and the need for a human-scale to our city.
• Many neighborhoods are suffering from the demolition of its historic buildings and getting huge luxury towers in their place, often in the name of that elusive thing known as affordable housing.
• Many historic district requests are being stalled, ignored, cut back, or undermined as the City pursues a Bloomberg-era policy of “hyper-density”.
• Neighborhood concerns over regulation of bars, outdoor cafes, rooftop lounges and noise concerns are ignored or treated as NIMBYish complaints that are brushed away with minimal or no remediation.
• The policy of “hyper-density” and inclusionary zoning needs revisiting, as it harms too much of our historic fabric. Reasonable alternatives exist and should be part of the discussion. “Affordable housing” does not have to equal “Dubai-on-the-Hudson.”

Visit the website to read the petition outlining our plea to the city for change and reform. Please sign it, either as an individual or as an organization. Feel free to ask friends and neighbors to sign it.

If you have comments or suggestions, please contact us.

Sincerely,

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Mario Messina

 

The N.Y.H.S.C. was founded by Mario Messina, President of the 29 Street Neighborhood Association and Lynn Ellsworth, Chair of Tribeca Trust, with the help of HDC.

Learn more about the humanscale alternative at humanscale.nyc.

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