Affordable housing residents say Lower Manhattan school zoning unfair

Residents in an affordable rental building at 89 Murray Street on the corner of Greenwich Street are up in arms over a proposed school district rezoning plan, unveiled Wednesday night, that would force children in their building to attend a far away elementary school. Parents say that while P.S. 234 at 292 Greenwich Street is just around the corner from them — some even say that the school is visible from their windows — the rezoning plan would force students in their building to attend the Spruce Street School across town. Even more vexing, they say, is that nearby luxury condo owners at 101 Warren Street would be able to continue attending the Greenwich Street school. Residents at the affordable housing unit say the plan unfairly favors higher income families, many of which, they contend, could afford nannies to accompany their kids to a farther away school. The city Department of Education said that it hopes to finalize the new zoning plan by the end of next month.