Columbia's Not in the House

As we have been commenting, the Columbia expansion plan raises some serious questions on the issue of affordable housing. These questions are underscored by a report that is posted on the DMI website. The report, issued by the city's Rent Guidelines Board, is titled the 2007 Income and Affordability Study.

This report points out that "income levels are not going up for working class New Yorkers." In many so-called affordable neighborhoods, residents are paying over 50% of their income for rent. As DMI highlights: "Further rent increases without a corresponding rise in income will force many will force many of these families to either double up, leave the city, or go homeless."

So the city's affordable housing crisis continues unabated in spite of all of the mayor's seemingly good intentions. All of which underscores the seriousness of the situation if Columbia University is allowed to expand its campus without any concomitant commitment to build affordable housing-within and around the foot print of its new campus.