"The Elizabeth Street Garden, a cherished green space in lower Manhattan, was at the center of a heated debate that pitted locals against affordable housing advocates and city officials. Residents in the neighborhood, known as Little Italy, and beyond were deeply attached to the garden and rallied to save it, fighting plans to build a 123-unit affordable housing development for senior citizens on the site. Their efforts led Mayor Eric Adams to abandon the project."
"Across New York City, park advocates have influenced proposed developments to protect their local green spaces. But their advocacy has derailed affordable housing projects, like the one proposed for Little Italy. The city faces a severe housing crisis, with a significant shortage of affordable options for its residents. Many city officials prioritize developing affordable housing to address the issue. But this kind of housing is often built into luxury high-rises, and that can mean adding thousands of new residents to a neighborhood."
"Parks have other benefits. A report in 2015 found that Central Park provides opportunities for community and exercise, leading to a reduction in health care and lost work hours valued in the tens of millions of dollars annually. "New York City needs to be looking at its park system, really, as a quality of life tool," said Adam Ganser, the executive director of the nonprofit research group New Yorkers for Parks. "Our parks and open spaces are one of the primary reasons people stay in the city.""
The Elizabeth Street Garden in lower Manhattan became the site of conflict between neighborhood residents and affordable housing proponents. Residents of Little Italy mobilized to save the garden and convinced city leadership to abandon a proposal for a 123-unit senior affordable housing project. Similar park advocacy across New York City has altered development plans to protect green space but has also stalled some affordable housing projects. The city faces a severe shortage of affordable housing while parks provide heat reduction, stormwater absorption, community health benefits, and influence residents' decisions to remain in the city.
Read at Inside Climate News
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