Our Positions

East Village / Lower East Side Rezoning

Note: The City Council adopted the East Village / Lower East Side Rezoning on November 19, 2008. The following is the position taken by Two Bridges prior to the approval of the rezoning:

Two Bridges Neighborhood Council opposes any review of the proposed zoning of the East Village and Lower East Side unless and until a more thorough and proper review process is undertaken. Such a review process should include all of the neighborhoods within the boundaries of Community Board #3 as a whole. We formed our position through a close review of the proposed zoning changes.

We have concluded that if the current rezoning proposal is approved:

1. The proposed zoning changes will most likely impact adversely on the Lower East Side and Chinatown neighborhoods that have been excluded from the study.

2. The proposed zoning changes will seriously undermine the best interests of low-income Hispanic and Asian-American populations, who are already greatly impacted by housing and gentrification pressures. These groups form a majority of the population of Community Board #3 in general, and a majority of the population of the neighborhoods south of Houston Street. These include the Bowery, Chinatown, and the remaining parts of the Lower East Side, all of which were specifically and selectively excluded from the study.

One can only assume that the purpose of such selectivity was to assure a favorable impact for the community under review. Such selectivity may also have a discriminatory result, since the population of the area under review is predominately white.

We fully understand that the rezoning of any area of the city will always impact the immediately surrounding areas. However, it would seem highly irregular, if not disingenuous, for the Community Board and the City Planning Commission to review only one part the CB district under their jurisdiction, while ignoring another to the detriment of its residents.

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