Affordable housing discussed at NYARM meeting.

In an address to the New York Association of Realty Managers (NYARM), Deputy Borough President Jeannette Gadson spoke about the importance of decent affordable housing in Brooklyn. Together with Borough President Howard Golden, who took office 17 years ago, the pair have lobbied for the rehabilitation of the city's housing stock into permanent homes for low income families and the homeless, and the development of vacant lots.

While Gadson stated that a great deal has been done to create housing opportunities for low and moderate income families, the financial viability and stability of such designated buildings will be put at risk if nothing is done about the problems of rising water and sewage charges.

"Co-op and condos are also faced with an unfair and inequitable tax rate when compared to homeowners," she declared. "A task force must address such issues if the housing market is to survive and not cause additional homeless families and individuals to burden an already overburdened system."

Although she acknowledged that the city has created effective measures to rehabilitate vacant city-owned buildings, she and Golden remain concerned about these structures. Last year, HPD announced the start of the Neighborhood Ownership Works Program, which entails the city divesting itself of more than 9,000 tenanted units that are centrally managed through HPD's Office of Property Management.

The units are to be sold to local, non-profit housing groups upon completion of necessary renovations. However, for profit construction companies are to rehabilitate the buildings selected for the program. Unfortunately, the Neighborhood Ownership Works Program offers limited input from the non-profit organizations that will eventually own the properties, she said. Consequently, Golden and Gadson are concerned about the plan and Golden has called for an analysis of the problems in hopes that the city will create another model.

Gadson also addressed the problems of an aging tenant population. According to statistics, one of every seven Brooklyn residents is over 65 and nearly 35,000 are judged frail. She emphasized that comprehensive social services are needed to prepare families to survive and manage their own apartments.

Finally, Gadson urged the continuation and expansion of the Low Income Tax Credits Program and stated: "It is of utmost importance that we find ways to attract private dollars into the city's housing market. Government alone cannot and should not be the sole source of funding for housing programs."