Concerns Regarding New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA)
Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses RAD/PACT Demolition and Conversion Plan
The New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Proposed Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea (FEC) Houses RAD/PACT has been depicted as a “resident driven” process. What we have is a process of urban removal. The story has been that the residents are in line with the demolition. This is false. The lack of transparency and undemocratic process is troubling, to say the least. Decades of community-led urban planning would be completely disregarded with approval of this plan. Specifically, the NYC-adopted Chelsea 197a Plan (1996) and the Chelsea NYCHA Working Group Report (2021) where NO DEMOLITION was stated.
- Lack of Resident Engagement and Misleading Surveys
Survey Issues
- The “survey” used to justify the shift from renovations to demolition was conducted by a private developer-affiliated team, not a neutral third party as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 18 regulations.
- The “survey” design was biased towards redevelopment and did not adequately inform residents of the long-term demolition and construction consequences.
- The “survey,” was not a vote, and it is not a legally binding document. It offered three choices: two involving new construction and one for the rehabilitation of existing units, but none mentioned the long-term demolition that would take place.
- The “survey” options included:
- i.Option 1A: New construction with rezoning, targeting a 5-year construction timeline.
- ii.Option 1B: New construction with existing zoning, targeting a 6-8 year construction timeline.
- iii.A third option was for the rehabilitation of existing units without a completion timeline.
- Residents from Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses (FEC) and the surrounding Chelsea community have serious concerns about the RAD/ PACT plan yet have been completely excluded from the decision-making process.
Petition Evidence
- Residents collected 800 petition signatures from those living within FEC who oppose the RAD/PACT plan, surpassing the number of supportive responses (550) in the developer’s “survey.”
- We are concerned for the safety and well being of those who have signed our petition against demolition, since they have been bullied and misled in the past and may be targeted with threats of displacement from their contractually obligated homes.
Previous Commitments
- NYCHA had committed to repairs and renovations as stated in the December 2021 announcement and the February 2021 Chelsea NYCHA Working Group Report, which prioritized “No Demolition.”
2. Environmental and Health Concerns
Construction Impact
- The plan involves over 20 years of demolition and construction, which will negatively impact residents’ mental and physical health due to air pollution, noise, and other environmental factors, diminishing our quality of life.
- The Draft Environmental Impact Statement Scoping Document lacks adequate mitigation measures for individuals with health issues.
Tree Removal
- The proposed RAD/PACT plan includes removing 370 mature trees, which contradicts the NYC Urban Forest Agenda and NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher’s initiatives to expand the city’s tree canopy.
- It appears counterintuitive that this plan would achieve the goals of the newly adopted NYC Urban Forest Master Plan, which seeks to achieve a 30% tree canopy over the entire city by 2035. Council Member Erik Bottcher stated: “Trees are an essential tool in combating climate change, cleaning our air, absorbing stormwater and providing homes for wildlife.”
3. Impact on Community Fabric and Affordability
Gentrification Risks
- Increased housing prices will affect both directly and indirectly impacted residents, exacerbating gentrification in Chelsea.
- Large portions of 6 central Chelsea blocks between 9th and 10th avenues, West 16th to West 27th streets, and adjoining properties would be directly impacted by this demolition and construction plan.
- Higher density, taller towers (some up to 39 stories or 416 feet) would replace existing 7-story low-rise buildings, 12-story mid-rise buildings, and 5 towers between 21 and 25 stories.
- This plan would create a new total of 5,510 apartments in 17 buildings: 2,056 Section 8 (voucher system) units, 1,038 “affordable” units, and 2,416 market-rate units.
- We have not been shown how the originally proposed renovation budget of the existing 18 buildings with 2,056 homes has ballooned from $366 million to $1.2 billion.
4. Requests for Action and Information
Clarification on Decision-Making Processes
- Why was the “No Demolition” priority from the 2021 Working Group Report disregarded, and what criteria justified the shift to a demolition plan?
Transparency and Accountability
- Residents request meeting minutes from NYCHA, Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4), and the development team, including discussions involving Tenant Association Presidents Miguel Acevado and Darlene Waters, to determine how this demolition plan unfolded.
Independent Analysis and Resident Involvement
- Will HUD hire an independent third-party consultant to assess the proposed demolition and construction plans?
- How can residents participate in this assessment?
Program Details and Approvals
- Under which sections of the HUD regulations are the proposed demolition and conversion plan from HUD Section 9 to project-based HUD Section 8 housing being conducted?
- What are the HUD program requirements and current status of this plan?
5. Community’s Call to Action and Accountability
HUD’s Role
- Residents urge the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reject the demolition plan as it does not meet the resident approval requirements outlined in Section 18 of the HUD regulations. Please email rad@hud.gov to state your concerns about this.
Review and Involvement
- A comprehensive and independent review of the plan with meaningful resident involvement is essential to preserve the long-standing diversity of the Chelsea community.
- Please contact FEC Tenants Against Demolition at stopfecdemolition@gmail.com to learn more and stay informed.
- Using the attached contact list, please contact our local, state and federal elected and appointed officials and support our efforts to Stop the Demolition of NYCHA Housing in Chelsea.
THANK YOU!
StopFECdemolition