New York City's "Poor Door" Controversy
Growing criticism of separate doors and restricted use of amenities for lower-income tenants in New York's mixed-income developments
In New York City, a controversy has been sparked over the development of inclusionary housing that has separate doors for its higher- and lower-income tenants. For example, one development company under fire, Extell Development, is constructing a luxury condo in which higher-income residents occupy units facing the Hudson River, and lower-income tenants who occupy the affordable units face the street and must enter a separate door into the building.
In some other mixed-income developments across the city, lower-income tenants do not have access to the same building amenities as those paying market-rate. Despite keeping tenants of differing incomes separate within apartment complexes, Extell and other developers still receive tax credits and density bonuses for including affordable units within their developments. The implementation of the “poor door†and the rekindled notion of “separate but equal†have caused outrage nationwide.
Some New York City lawmakers have promised to change laws that currently allow developers to segregate tenants of varying incomes within the same buildings. According to Next City, there is currently a bill pending in the New York City Council that would allow tenants to sue or file a complaint with the city’s Commission on Human rights against landlords who deny lower-income tenants access to amenities – such as entrances, gyms, or pools – that are available to tenants renting out market-rate units.
Additional articles on this issue:
"‘Poor Door’ in a New York Tower Opens a Fight Over Affordable Housing" in The New York Times
"New York City’s appalling 'poor door' fiasco" in Salon
"When separate doors for the poor are more than they seem" in The Washington Post
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