The group that’s pushing for the resignation of New York City Housing Authority head Shola Olatoye is attempting to pitch city politicos a plan that would allow it to develop NYCHA property, while undermining Olatoye’s own plans for the agency.
The Metro Industrial Areas Foundation invited several Brooklyn elected officials last month to hear a proposal to “infill” large swaths of open space at public housing developments in the borough with between 10,000 and 20,000 units of senior citizen housing.
The faith-based organization has developed low-income homes in parts of Brooklyn through its local chapter, East Brooklyn Congregations.
No elected officials attended the meeting, according to the New York Observer, and the proposal was poorly received by “nearly all” of the staffers in attendance.
Olatoye has her own plans to develop under-utilized NYCHA land through the NextGeneration initiative, which calls for 13,500 below-market apartments and 3,500 market-rate units with the goal of generating $800 million in funds.
Metro-IAF leaders recently protested outside City Hall demanding that Olatoye step down from her position, alleging bureaucratic ineptitude and slow responses to tenant requests.
The group is currently building an 81-unit senior building on a former parking lot at the Linden Houses in East New York, a project approved under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Metro-IAF says the building has 3,000 applicants. [NYO] – Rey Mashayekhi