Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, Senator Marisol Alcantara, and Assemblywoman Carmen De La Rosa issue their support for the proposal to construct a new Inwood library with 100% affordable housing included in the project.
The proposal for a redesigned Inwood Library was put forward by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the New York Public Library (NYPL) and the Robin Hood Foundation, which has supported the project with $5 million dollars. The effort is part of New York City’s goal to leverage public land to construct needed 100% affordable housing in the Inwood community. The project is also proposed to yield a new library with improved design and layout, in addition to English classes, after-school tutoring, technology classes, and learning labs for more advanced programming for all ages.
“At long lost last, our community will finally receive the 100% affordable housing we’ve needed and demanded of prior administrations,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. “I applaud Mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration for exploring housing options in our neighborhood in creative ways. With housing costs higher and higher due to a lack of supply, many Inwood residents are spending more than a third of their income rent, and some even more. I’m excited to see a new library as well, with improved design for more space and the potential for enhanced programming like tech classes and labs.”
“There is an affordability crisis in New York City,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “As neighborhoods are gentrifying, rent prices are increasing, and families are being forced to relocate because they can no longer afford to live in their homes, today’s announcement is a solution to a growing crisis in our communities. I commend Mayor de Blasio for taking major steps to address the city’s housing crisis and I am proud to stand with my fellow public servants and the Robin Hood Foundation as we work to create and preserve affordable housing for Inwood residents.”
“When we use public land to deliver community facilities and affordable housing, everyone wins,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “We always need to make sure the community gets its money’s worth, but this project meets that standard, delivering a brand new library and 100 percent affordable housing on land that will remain publicly-owned.”
“I am pleased to join my fellow elected officials to announce that I support the construction of 100% affordable housing on the city-owned Inwood Library site”, said Senator Marisol Alcantara. “As public land, this property should be used for a public purpose, and in a neighborhood where affordable housing in in short supply, building affordable housing can help longtime residents remain in the communities that they have built. I look forward to engaging with HPD, the Mayor’s Office, and the other elected officials present throughout the RFP process in order to minimize any disruption to library services and to maximize the public benefit of this development.”
“Each day our offices are visited by residents of this community who face imminent eviction due to the rising rents and lack of affordable options left in the district. This project will yield sorely needed and 100% affordable units for working class individuals while ensuring that we receive a brand new state of the art public library for Inwood. I commend the de Blasio administration, the NYPL and the Robin Hood Foundation for coming together to put forth a reasonable proposal for our community.” said Assemblywoman Carmen De La Rosa. “In the coming months, I look forward to working with the City and our local residents and organizations to ensure that the final product for this proposal reflects the needs of our community”.
Become a Harlem Insider!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
