Submitted by Carl Stronzo, Jan 10, 2007 17:02

Throughout NYC, especially in Wiliamsburg we're seeing lots of construction that the Sun is obviously very much in favor of. The mayor says it's part of his plan for more "affordable" housing. But most (if not all) of the new development happening in places such as Williamsburg are advertised as "luxury" condos. Since when are luxury condos affordable? Likewise your article states: "Toll Brothers Inc., a Pennsylvania-based developer famous for sprucing up the Jersey suburbs with upper-middle-class subdivisions..." Upper-middle-class is not "affordable." The mayor's plan gives lip service to affordable housing, yet is actually transforming low-rise working-class neighborhoods by filling them with unaffordable luxury hi-rises. The majority of residents in these neighborhoods live there because they don't want to live in Manhattan surrounded by hi-rises, and couldn't afford it if we wanted to. Now Mayor Bloomberg brings Manhattan to us, whether we want it or not. The Boston mayor's legacy will be to have ruined Brooklyn.

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