Bd. 2 Asked For Rezoning
To The Editor:

The article [of] August 24, "Zoning Plan Passes", should have noted, if not omitted in the press release, that this important "Inclusionary Zoning" was a result of the Woodside/Maspeth rezoning, which was requested by Community Board 2 in partnership with the Department of City Planning.

The Department of City Planning worked closely for over 6 years with Queens Community Boards 2 and 5 to develop a comprehensive zoning plan to preserve the character of the community from the "tsunami" of over development in Woodside and Maspeth. This zoning was specifically designed to encourage development along Queens Boulevard to take the pressure off the assault by developers on single-family homes in the heart of our residential communities. We witnessed a rapid transformation of many parcels of land that once housed a singlefamily house turn into multiple dwellings units of 11 or more families.

Prior to the Woodside/Maspeth rezoning, new construction in Community Boards 2 and 5 was out of control and real estate prices continued to climb far beyond the reach of most who live and work in our community, especially senior citizens. This Inclusionary Zoning does not mandate that developers create affordable housing units. A developer can build to 3.75 FAR without providing any affordable housing, or a developer can build to 5.0 FAR and provide affordable housing. Should a developer build to the maximum allowed 5.0 FAR, the maximum building height would remain at 125 feet. This means that the height of the buildings, which residents of Community Boards 2 and 5 were most concerned about, will not be taller than buildings that already exist in the R7X zone on Queens Boulevard.

Should a developer opt into the Inclusionary Zoning Program, affordable housing can be built either within the proposed project or within a half-mile radius of a development along Queens Boulevard. Although the story quotes that the plan calls for "middle-class housing in a 20-block area along Queens Blvd." sounds like a lot of new living units, the fact is that the most this Inclusion Zoning is estimated to produce within a 10-year period is 61 new units, as most of the 20 blocks along Queens Boulevard are already built out.

Affordable housing is an issue in Western Queens and throughout New York City. That is precisely why Community Board 2 pressed the issue when the New York State Empire Development Corporation created Queens West in 1983. Queens West is a state project on state controlled land. This is why the community board demanded a 20 percent set [sic] affordable housing component of the 6,000 new residential units to be build at Queens West. Then Councilmember Walter McCaffrey testified in 1989 that the people of Western Queens have the "million dollar views of Manhattan", and therefore the need to protect the community from over development of the waterfront and to provide affordable housing.

Fast-forward to 2006 and I have said, "Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would need a million dollars to move into Queens West".

Sadly, the state of housing in Sunnyside, Woodside, Maspeth and Long Island City is out of reach for most people who live and work in our community.

We want to make sure that housing is available for all not only moving into our community, but making sure no one is pushed out because of high housing prices.

We are hearing more and more that third generation residents of Hunters Point are facing the problem of rising rents as "market rate" housing, fueled by the redhot real estate market, is causing secondary displacement. People looking for alternatives to Manhattan housing prices have found that our community is a great place to live and work and are willing to pay "market rate."

With a great transportation system and easy access to Manhattan, the housing market in our community is very tight, despite the many new housing developments that continue at breakneck speed. There is hardly a street that you can walk in Sunnyside, Woodside and Hunters Point that does not have new construction, but all are advertised as "Luxury Housing".

Our community is a very diverse community and diversity of housing must be a part of a comprehensive community plan. Recently, when most were silent on the affordable housing issue, Community Board 2 worked with the Department of City Planning to include an affordable housing component in the Silvercup Studios West Project. We were the first to call on Queens West, a New York State agency, to provide more affordable housing as the Queens West project is built out. We have learned there is a plan to reprogram 2 million square feet of commercial space to residential use. This is an opportunity for affordable housing that must not be squandered for the sake of "highest and best use."

Thanks to the Department of City Planning for listening, respecting and responding to community concerns by working within the framework of the Woodside/Maspeth rezoning. We look forward to working with DCP to apply these two precedent zoning initiatives to provide much needed Inclusionary and Affordable Housing in Western Queens. Joseph Conley Chair, Community Board 2