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NYC Mayor Woos Brooklyn's Borough Park with New Housing
RISMEDIA, April 20 – (KRT) – A slice of Brooklyn's Borough Park will be rezoned to allow hundreds of new housing units under a plan announced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on a visit to the neighborhood.
The city also plans to sell two blocks by the Culver El along 37th St. to a developer and an unused lot to Hatzolah to expand its facility.
"This is a community where the population is growing more than three times faster than the supply of housing," Bloomberg said Wednesday at the Georgie Ballroom during a breakfast sponsored by Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn). "So the demand for affordable housing is very high."
The administration wants to rezone a six-block area along the Culver elevated line. As part of that plan, it will sell two blocks between 12th and 14th Aves. to the Southern Brooklyn Community Organization.
According to Bloomberg, the organization plans to develop 80 affordable housing units. The apartments will be offered to families who earn 100 percent of the median area income, which is about $62,800 for a family of four.
In addition, the city will sell a 5,000-square foot lot at the corner of 37th St. and 14th Ave. to Hatzolah, so it can expand its volunteer ambulance services.
The prices of the lot and the two blocks have not yet been set.
"You're talking about taking a piece of property and dedicating it to affordable housing," said Felder (D-Brooklyn). "That is a big accomplishment. This is a time when you can't get a piece of property in this city."
Felder said the expansion of Haztolah will help the surrounding neighborhoods and the city.
Bloomberg savored the warm reception yesterday morning, bantering with Felder, who is known for his dry sense of humor.
Borough Park is a neighborhood Bloomberg needs as he seeks reelection this fall.
He also made several other announcements sure to make residents of the neighborhood happy:
Sanitation trucks will soon be banned from 53rd St. between 12th and 16th Aves. between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
Crews will start repaving 17th Ave. over the summer.
Extra sanitation trucks, 125 instead of the usual 25 in Community Board 12, will be on hand to pick up trash during the busy Passover holiday.
