Nova Bajamonti
Civic leaders and residents attended a Queens rally in Jamaica, on Saturday, November 2, in an effort to say “no,” to the “City of Yes.” The “City of Yes” is a proposed plan by the NYC Planning Department, and it is a part of Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal for the city.
The agenda behind the “City of Yes” is to change zoning regulations in order to overcome the housing crisis in New York City. A huge consequence of the proposed plan would be gentrification, which leads to long-time residents getting priced out of the same community they’ve lived in for generations. The long-term effects of the proposal will not only lead to a huge displacement of people, but also the mom-and-pop shops in the area, both of which would target marginalized people disproportionately.
The flyers that were given out to residents pertaining to the rally, included a powerful and bold statement. “It’s urgent – stop the ‘City of Yes’ housing proposal,” the flyer read. “We need to preserve our NYC communities. Your City Council member votes on this proposal before this year ends. Say ‘no’ to the ‘City of Yes.’ Make sure that your City Council member hears your voice. Please join Queens civic leaders and residents as we rally against the ‘City of Yes.’ Please bring signs, friends, [and] family, and let your neighbors know how this ‘City of Yes’ will destroy our city.”
During the heated rally, Reverend and Chairperson of CB12 Queens, Carlene Thorbs, took the stand. “We have to keep our voices heard,” Thorbs said. “There’s no exception. We cannot sit quiet and wait for somebody else to stand up for us. This [is also a] message being sent to our elected officials – we already voted on behalf of the people. Stand with us or we’ll meet you at the polls, and it will be a different vote. Our quality of life has to be addressed. If you’ve been on Jamaica Avenue, you’ve already see it. If you look around you, there are people, there are contractors, who are already trying to operate as if the ‘City of Yes,’ has been ok. Right on Jamaica avenue – 16 stories behind this lady’s house. [A] 16-story building. That’s the ‘City of Yes.’ We can’t continue to allow or have things like this go on, and we’re not going to stand for it. Again, we will see you at the polls. That is a guarantee.”
Next the Vice President of the Queens Civic Congress, Rene Hill, took the podium. “The building that she’s talking about – a lot of these other tall buildings that you see out here – we voted ‘no’ and they totally ignored us,” Hill said. “These street namings – same thing. They just do what they want and they work for us, and we’re not having this. We have to save something. We can’t be quiet. These homes over here – they’re mainly one-family, [or] two-family. They plan on making them three or four-family [homes]. On a house like this on a main street – that can be a high-rise building – five stories. We have to say ‘no’ to this. ‘No’ to the ‘City of Yes.’
Then, Urban Planning Consultant and Historic Preservationist Paul Graziano joined the podium. “These elected officials are supposed to work for us,” Graziano said. “They’re supposed to represent the interests of us. It’s all about data. I’m a planner – this is what planners are supposed to do. They’re not supposed to give propaganda and ideology to you, and lies – gas lighting. Remember [those] words. This is the data. The data says, ‘[if] you allow this to happen, this is what’s going to happen in your neighborhood.’ Will it happen? I always say, ‘if you zone it, they will come.’ You say, ‘this [area] now can have a three-story building on this corner.’ Well, they’ll pay $800,000 for that house, and that house next to it, and then they’ll be able to take those two, one-family homes, and replace it with a 20-unit apartment.”
After the passionate rally concluded, during which residents and civic leaders loudly and proudly, repetitively shouted “no,” the Founder and President of the Black Institute and The Black Leadership Action Coalition, Bertha Lewis, called the ‘City of Yes,’ a ‘City of Mess,’ instead. “Our coalition of people from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other parts of Queens are in solidarity with this group, however, we’re not saying, just ‘no,’ Lewis said. “We call the Mayor’s plan, the Speaker’s plan, the City Council’s plan, ‘the City of Mess. M-E-S-S,’ cause this administration is a mess, this housing plan is a mess, this zoning plan is a mess, but we’re going to get out of this mess, so our coalition that is coming together, could stop the City of Mess.”
