This week Community Board 3 announced two new members are joining the land use, housing and zoning committee, the panel that is working on a plan for the Seward Park development site. Tito Delgado, a former SPURA site tenant, has been appointed a public member of the committee. CB3 member Chiun Ng will also serve.
Last month, affordable housing advocates complained to CB3 that the committee lacked any former site tenants. While they asked for six new members representing residents who were displaced when the SPURA parcels were razed in 1967, CB3 Chair Dominic Pisciotta agreed to appoint two. He has not decided who will fill the second slot.
There are 24 members of the land use committee — some public members — some full members of Community Board 3. Eight are residents or are closely associated with the Grand Street cooperatives, which have historically opposed affordable housing. Ten other members (not counting Delgado) identify themselves as strong affordable housing activists.
Last month, the committee voted to approve planning guidelines calling for 30% low income, 20% middle/moderate income and 50% market rate housing.
