Full Report – Gentrification of the Lower East Side

Gentrification in Lower Manhattan

Nicole Fierro Fernandez

Composition for US Experience / FIQWS 10115 HA23 / The City College of New York

10 December 2020

Acknowledgements: Nusrat Aishi, Ethan Yim

Abstract

Over the past two decades, gentrification in Alphabet City, a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan has increased tremendously. This study dives into how gentrification has become so imminent in the community and the controversy that comes with it. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the commercial gentrification in Alphabet City and see if there are any effects on the overall cultural integrity of the community. This field report includes three structured interviews that were conducted through telephone, each providing views on the gentrification happening in their specific neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan. In addition, our study also includes two non participatory, non-obtrusive field observations that were taken with cameras. Finally, there is also a survey that was transmitted via google surveys completed with a snowball sample. Our study found that no matter the benefits of revitalization of neighborhoods, longtime residents felt as though their communities were slipping away in front of their very eyes.

Introduction

Walking anywhere in New York City, one will find at least one marker of gentrification, if the neighborhood has not already been fully renovated. Gentrification has been defined by Merriam-Webster as “a process in which a poor area experiences an influx of middle-class or wealthy people who renovate and rebuild homes and businesses and which often results in an increase in property values and the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents.” In the Lower East Side of Manhattan, more specifically Alphabet City, the first markers of gentrification did not come in until the late 90’s. Development had been quite slow to show up in this neighborhood because of its drug reputation it had earned over the years. However, residents had noticed these gentrifying indicators when corporations such as CVS and Starbucks had opened up in place of local shops that had resided there before. Alphabet City is known for its very large POC demographic, an overwhelming part being hispanic, culture. So much that Ave. C itself is known as Loisaida, another way of pronouncing ‘Lower East Side’ with a hispanic accent.

All of that is changing now, as you walk around, you will see more middle and upper-class white people in Alphabet City than ever before not even twenty years ago. In the past, Ave. A was known as the saving grace of Alphabet City, the rest left to be part of the ghetto and a missed opportunity in Manhattan. Today’s current path says something else. The very culture of the Lower East Side and those who make it, now a novelty, to be shown off on instagram as you eat at another Hispanic restaurant, or left to be overshadowed by a new ice cream shop opening up down the block. More and more each day, residents see how commercial gentrification is changing their neighborhood and slowly creeping up to Ave. D, the part closest to the water, which was once considered “D for Dead”.

Literature Review

Gentrification is defined as “the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process.” This is the case for the Lower East Side, where many residents feel as though they are strangers in their own neighborhood. No longer can you go around knowing everyone’s name and the people who own every store. Since the late 90’s and early 2000’s Alphabet City has been dealing with the growing presence of gentrification. As a whole, many have different views on whether this is something beneficial to the communities in the neighborhood.

In the article “Alphabet City: Urban Transformation, from A to D” by Andrew J. Gerringer, indicators of gentrification are just popping up in the year 2000 for Alphabet City. The article first discusses the history of the Lower East Side and the many communities that have inhabited the area. Although one thing stands out, the Lower East Side has consistently been a place where low-income immigrants can have a space for them to flourish. Gerringer then goes on to outline how the rise of commercial gentrification brought in the influx of residential gentrification changing the population of the area. The mentioning of new bars and upscale restaurants further proves the author’s point of a continuous cycle being made. For instance, “Alphabet City has sprouted bars, restaurants, and dance clubs that cater to the young, elbowing the bodegas, delicatessens, old fashioned taverns, and corner stores that have long-served the neighborhood” (A.J. Gerringer, 2000), as well as, “The old neighborhood diners are now being joined by increasingly upscale restaurants… as the area grows, its future potential for real estate development is constrained only by the increasing difficulty of assembling sites for new construction” (A.J Gerringer, 2000). In sum, then, his view is that the rising markers for gentrification being found in Alphabet City are directly caused by the surge of young people coming in and creating a market that supports commercial gentrification which then in turn, causes the demand for new development.

Fifteen years have passed since the first article was made and Alphabet City is much different than it used to be. In the article “Gentrification Strikes Alphabet City” by Zachary Kussin, the author discusses the booming real estate industry now popping up throughout Alphabet City. No longer is the Lower East Side of Manhattan seen as a dark and scary place that could’ve had potential with the right resources, the neighborhood is now a small escape from the rest of the City that to many, holds New York’s old values. Specifically, Kussin outlines the positives of living in Alphabet City that lure buyers into the neighborhood. Throughout the article examples of rising rent prices and new development were shown, for example, “67 Ave. C — which launched sales in August, is currently half-sold, and now has apartments priced from $865,000 for a one-bedroom” (Z. Kussin, 2015). At the time of this article, only two months had passed since August, further proving the author’s point of a newfound high demand for Lower East Side development. Although some residents believe their neighborhood is leaving them behind, such as one resident quoted by Kussin (2015), “It’s definitely my neighborhood, but it used to be my community, and losing that is sad”. Kussin insists that revitalization of Alphabet City will only ramp up for the better and that many middle and high-income buyers will continue flooding in.

In the article “The Real Consequences of Gentrification” by Dora Derby articulates the increase of gentrification seen throughout every neighborhood in New York City. Specifically, Derby speaks of the negative effects gentrification can have on low-income communities. As the author put it herself, “The ongoing process continues to displace the natives of districts. Areas that used to be known as both inexpensive, dodgy, or suspicious have become homes to the rich and their kids in strollers” (D. Derby, 2019). This article delves into the issue of high-income residents taking over an area and as a result, low-income residents are displaced, and the culture of the community diminishes. Derby then goes on to speak about how the process of displacement starts with rent increases and when residents can no longer afford their own neighborhoods, they are forced to go somewhere else. Some may counter with gentrification being a revitalization for communities therefore benefitting all. However Derby insists that gentrification disproportionately affects low-income residents of color, an important point to make given that neighborhoods like Alphabet City mainly have a POC population.

Gentrification is something that can have both positive and negative effects on an area. Throughout the past two decades gentrification has skyrocketed in Alphabet City. All articles had interviews with residents as well as field observations of the Lower East Side. These articles considered contrasting views on the effects on gentrification on an area. There is no escaping the fact that the Lower East Side has changed however many have different opinions on whether it is something for the better.

Methods

Participants

Field Observation Participants. A field observation for Chinatown took place on October 27th 2020. The purpose of this field observation was to see if gentrification was visible when viewing the physical landscape of a neighborhood. A second field observation for the Lower East Side was taken on November 4th, 2020 with the same purpose. For both field observations, there were no participants except for the observer.

Interview Participants. Several interviewees were contacted for this field study. They are listed below:

Stanley Yu, a tenant in the East Village since 1982 who has seen the East Village go through many changes throughout the years. He has seen buildings being transformed into luxury developments as well as the neighborhood he once had, go through a massive change. He has experience with the rent increase including his very own building getting renovated during the period of gentrification in the East Village. Stanley knows about people of lower income being displaced and remembers many of his neighbors who were forced to move out. This interview took place over the phone on November 22nd, 2020.

Christopher Rivera who is a deli worker understands how the East Village has undergone gentrification. While the deli has been here for over 20 years, he understood that the neighborhood was going through many changes. The deli itself was a new business that overtook a previous business due to gentrification and the current deli owners were able to start their own business over the years. When asked about his experience working here, I was told how there were always people coming in and out and it was rarely empty. While they did not know about displacement of businesses, they are glad that there are many people to make sure their business stays up. This interview took place over the phone on November 24th, 2020.

Zishun Ning, a community activist representing the Coalition To Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side was contacted for this field report. Ning has a lot of experience participating in protests against the development of luxury buildings and displacement of low income residents in Lower Manhattan. He is currently challenging the local government, Mayor Bill De Blasio and Council Member Margaret Chin, to create policies to protect residents from displacement. This interview took place over the phone on December 3rd, 2020.

There were many potential interview participants that were contacted for this study, but no response was received in time for this study. Such people include:

Emily Mock the Chinatown Tenants Union Leader could have given insight on how affordable housing looks like for low income residents in Lower Manhattan and what campaigns they have been a part of to help this situation.

Similarly, Thomas Yu, the co-executive of the Asian American For Equality (AAFE) was contacted to have a better understanding on affordable housing because Yu took part in many projects to increase affordability in Chinatown. It would have been useful to see what he thinks is affordable for Lower Manhattan Residents and how it differs from the city’s perspective.

Sharmin Uddin, the Development and Operations Manager for the Committee Against Asian American Violence (CAAAV) organization, because she has professional knowledge in Public Administration which is useful to understand why government policies and developments are shaping the neighborhood and how one can help fix this issue from a legal standpoint.

Jim Shelton, Assistant Manager for Community Board 3 District in Manhattan. He is in charge of creating meetings with potential interviewees that bring in their complaints and views on what to bring into the neighborhood. He would have provided a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes in board meetings and how the policies implemented in our area come to be.

Susan Stetzer, District Manager of Community Board 3 and the Media Relations contact for the board. She is in charge of who the board sees and the most well-versed member in what goes behind these policies that bring in change to the area. She has had many success dealing with crisis’ in the Lower East Side and is known in the community as an activist and advocate for the people.

Owner of El Rinconcito, a family owned restaurant that has been serving in the Lower East Side since 1994. Located on Ave. C and E 10th Street, they are well known in the community for their Latin-American food and have seen Loisaida change throughout the decades. They have knowledge of what it is like being a small business in a time when business owners who do not live in the area, come in to profit off of those in the community.

William Hubbard, the vice president of the Center Development Corporation(CDC) works as a real estate agent and has authority over several apartment complexes in Manhattan including the East Village. Their purpose is to manage their buildings and make changes as they deem appropriate. He has knowledge on how people are affected by gentrification based on the statistics on when someone moves out and they also have knowledge on the increase in rent as they are the ones who are setting these raises.

Survey Participants. Those who live in New York City, especially Community District 3, were asked to participate in a survey about the zoning and gentrification of their neighborhood. A snowball sample was collected because participants were asked to share the electronic survey (created on Google Forms) to other residents. Due to this, participants were able to self-administer the survey. The survey took place November 19th 2020 from to December 3rd 2020. During this time, 10 participants responded out of the 10 asked.

Materials

The materials used for this study were field notes, a camera, prepared surveys, interview scripts, a telephone. Additionally, class notes and the internet were used to research potential interviewees.

Procedure

Field Observation Methods. When conducting the field observation for this study, markers of gentrification were scouted in the area along Houston Street, from Ave. D, to Ludlow Street (Alphabet City), and from Canal Street to the East River (Chinatown). These markers include luxury buildings with a glass exterior that contrasts from old tenement buildings, trendy restaurants and boutiques, larger corporations, and any other developments that would attract wealthier residents. In addition, construction for new developments were also looked for. Therefore, a participatory and non-obtrusive field observation was conducted.

Interview Methods. Three structured interviews were conducted by having interview questions prepared beforehand. Questions were created based on the interviewees knowledge on gentrification of the area and the role they play in their neighborhood. A maximum of nine questions were asked to interview participants. All three interviews were conducted over the phone.

Survey Methods. Survey questions were designed to be clear, concise, and direct in order for participators to have an easy time answering. Three different surveys were created on Google Forms and each had a maximum of 10 questions. The types of questions varied from one another which includes a mixture of dichotomous, open ended, and multiple choice questions (to see actual survey questions view the appendix). The objective of these surveys were to figure out if residents from New York City, especially these three neighborhoods within Community District 3, feel as if gentrification is occurring and if they are aware of the supposed symptoms of a pro-development zoning plan such as decreased affordable housing, increase in luxury buildings, and illegal evictions. These surveys were conducted from November 19th 2020 from to December 3rd 2020.

Limitations.

There were some methods that could not be conducted that would have helped provide a full scope of this study. Firstly, due to COVID-19, face to face interviews were not conducted which cut off potential interviews that could have given insight into the objective of this study. In addition, because of the narrow time frame for collecting data many potential interview/survey participants did not have enough time to respond back to answer questions. Having limited knowledge and information about the neighborhood and also not knowing the history behind the neighborhood and how it was gentrified. Some examples could be if the gentrification happened very early on.

Results

Field Observation Results

Two non-obtrusive field observations took place in Lower Manhattan. These observations were taken on October 27th 2020 in Chinatown and November 4th, 2020 in the Lower East Side. When conducting the field observation for this study, markers of gentrification were scouted in the area along Houston Street, from Ave. D, to Ludlow Street (Alphabet City), and from Canal Street to the East River (Chinatown). Cameras were taken to document the observations that would be found. Indications of gentrification were found in both field observations, such as luxury buildings, trendy restaurants and boutiques, and large corporations moving into the neighborhoods. These newer luxury residential buildings were detected by their glass exteriors and modern designs that stood out from the old tenement style buildings of the areas. New restaurants and boutiques could be seen popping up throughout both neighborhoods, most noticeably around Ave. A in the Lower East Side report and around Canal Street for the Chinatown observations. Large corporations advancing in these neighborhoods could also be seen in the reports. On Ludlow Street, just beside the infamous Katz’s Deli, a new Marshalls was found that had been built in 2018.

In all, these developments draw in wealthier residents and have been directly linked to being markers for current and future gentrification. It was evident in both field observations that indicators of gentrification could be seen throughout all of Lower Manhattan, not just any specific neighborhood. These developments further demonstrated that gentrification has not stopped in these areas and will continue to spread as the cycle continues.

Survey Results

On November 20th, 2020 to December 6th, 2020, a survey to the general public was conducted online via Google Forms. The purpose of this survey was to see if residents were aware of the zoning plan implemented in 2008, if they believed their that neighborhoods are losing its affordability, and if they felt as if their neighborhood is gentrifying

Overall, while the majority of New York City residents did not know about Bloomberg’s pro-development plan, it was clear that many of them were able to see the effects of it. Out of the 15 participants, 9 (60%) were fully unaware of the zoning plan, 5 (33.3%) were somewhat aware, and only 1 (6.7%) was aware of what the zoning plan was. Questions to test if participants could see the symptoms of this zoning plan asked participants if there were noticeable increases in luxury developments in their neighborhoods over the years and if they have noticed any landlord harassment. Of the 15 respondents, 10 (66.7%) of them answered that luxury buildings were very noticeable while only 1 (6.7%) respondents answered not at all. The rest of the respondents’ answers varied in between. Despite not knowing the zoning plan, many respondents were able to say that they have known someone who has faced landlord harassment after 2008. The most popular methods were buyouts and refusal to do repairs. See figure 1 below:

Figure 1: Options for if residents heard of harassment methods include buyouts, summons to court, refusal to collect rent and renew leases, refusal to do household repairs and none.

In addition, the survey showed that there were mixed responses about affordability of neighborhoods. One question focused on if tenants have noticed any unreasonable increases in rent and another asked if it has been difficult to find affordable housing in their area. Only those who did not live in a rent stabilized apartment answered the first question and out of the 11 respondents, 9 respondents (81.8%) answered no while the other 4 (18.2%) answered yes. For the second one, 10 respondents actively searched for a new apartment in the past 15 years and 3 (30%) respondents said it was a very difficult to find affordable housing, 5 (50%) said it was difficult, 1 (10%) said somewhat difficult, and another respondent (10%) said they found an apartment with little difficulty (see figure 2 below).

Figure 2: 1 = Not at all difficult, 2 = A little difficult, 3 = Somewhat difficult, 4 = Difficult, 5 = Extremely difficult (almost impossible to find affordable housing)

While the above graphs provide statistical data on if residents can see if gentrification is occurring, residents had the option to present their own opinions if gentrification is occurring in their communities. One person gave a personal story of how gentrification affects her by stating that she, “lives in a building that is gentrified and most of [her] Chinese neighbors have been evicted or they found themselves rent burdened so they had to leave to a cheaper neighborhood. [Her] family has seen increases in rent every once in a while since the building was gentrified and [they] are severely rent burdened. [They] also don’t have the renovation to our apartments like [their] wealthier neighbors.”

Furthermore, many people mentioned that along with luxury buildings they have been seeing more high end stores pop up in their area. One stated, “Luxury apartments and buildings have been developing more frequently along with high end restaurants and stores that the original local community cannot afford”. In addition, some brought up the fact that popular chain stores such as Trader Joes and Target have been introduced to the area which can attract wealthier residents. One person said, “the new Essex market and the new Target / Trader Joes, since they are attracting more wealthier people to shop there. There are just a lot of new buildings that are being built in general that stand out from the project’s neighborhoods.”

Interview Results

When I interviewed Stanley, he told me that the neighborhood lost what it once had even though it has made the neighborhood a nicer place. He tells me, “ The neighborhood is so lively and there is always something to do and somewhere to go.” He explains how even if the neighborhood is in a better standing after gentrification it does not feel like the neighborhood he first lived in. “You go out now and you see all these fancy buildings and fancy shops while this neighborhood used to have nothing more than a market and a corner store. Everyone was broke and the apartments could barely be called a home but for those who were poor, any housing is better than no housing.”

While he does not have a negative view on gentrification he also does not see it as all positives. He knows about the cost of gentrification and how it can ruin other people’s livelihood. A continuation of what Stanley said before is, “but when the housing you could afford for years suddenly becomes too expensive, you are forced to leave everything you have done behind. The connections you made in the neighborhood, the friends and all of your neighbors are lost. I remember seeing a vacant apartment room almost every week.” Many of his neighbors who were also his friends after years of interactions were forced to leave because they could no longer afford the rent after the increase. While this is viewed as a negative, gentrification also comes with some positives and Stanley also understands this. “Before everything started to change, the neighborhood had nothing. Just poor people trying to live and make a place for themselves, now we have schools, restaurants, shopping malls and even theaters. Gentrification definitely played a part in advancing the neighborhood and making the area much more lively. I understand gentrification has its dark side but without it this neighborhood would not be the place we have today.

Christopher Rivera who is a deli worker understands how the East Village has undergone gentrification. While the deli has been here for over 20 years, he understood that the neighborhood was going through many changes. The deli itself was a new business that overtook a previous business due to gentrification and the current deli owners were able to start their own business over the years. While they did not know about displacement of businesses, they are glad that there are many people to make sure their business stays up. They are also extremely glad that there are so many people who would interact with them and are very nice.

When discussing if he knew about gentrification in the neighborhood, he explains that he does know that the neighborhood has been gentrified and it was because of gentrification that he decided to work here. He also knows that the deli he is working at was once the site of another business but it was forced to move after the business was shut down. Although he does not know why they were shut down he guesses that it was due to gentrification and that they might have been paid off. He also explains how this neighborhood is very active and business is never stale. “I love it here, the people are nice and they always come back to buy stuff and just hangout. The deli has basically become a place for people to just enjoy themselves and it feels like a big family.” He also explains that the business is going smoothly and there hasn’t really been a big issue even though Covid-19 is going on there are still people who come into the shop to buy stuff or just talk with the workers.

He does not view gentrification as a negative thing because he is able to have these interactions with the neighborhood that he would not get if gentrification never happened. Although he understands the consequences of gentrification such as displacement of the lower income people he still has a positive view on gentrification in the neighborhood. “Without gentrification I would not be here and I would also not have been able to experience the interactions I get. However, I do understand that gentrification has its issues and I would hate it if the people that have been so nice to me were forced to leave the neighborhood.” He expresses concern for those who might be facing the backlash of gentrification and feels that it would be upsetting to know people are being kicked out of their neighborhood without a choice.

Zishun Ning, a community activist, belongs to one of the Chinese staff part of the Coalition to Protect Chinatown and the Lower East Side. He has been working for the past decade to help fight against displacement caused by gentrification. He has participated in protests and campaigns to help create awareness of this displacement and most notably, has filed a lawsuit against the city by claiming that the luxury buildings created in the neighborhood were being built unjustly because it did not have the community’s consent.

When interviewed, Ning discussed the troubles Chinatown and the Lower East Side have faced due to zoning. Ning confirmed that many low income residents and members of these neighborhoods have found the area to be harder and more unaffordable to live in. According to Ning, “landlords have raised rent and kicked out tenants and then turned those tenement buildings into condos.” He made it a point that this is caused by how low income communities were zoned which allowed for luxury buildings and developments to be created in the first place with no laws with it to protect existing residents.

Despite this zoning plan being introduced by Mayor Bloomberg, Ning expressed that he was more furious with the current mayor, Bill De Blasio, for turning a blind eye to low income communities even though he said he would make an effort to help them. Ning told us that, “Blasio is not as pro-progressive as he appeared. He told us that he would help low income communities of color, however when we brought up the lawsuit saying these new buildings are illegal he repealed it. At least Bloomberg didn’t hide it, Blasio is more sneaky.” Thus, Ning made it clear if any changes were to be made, the community needs to come together to elect a new official that will help the area. For now, along with protesting the struggles of residents, the coalition has been helping candidate Christopher Marte campaign for the next upcoming election.

Discussion

In this field research study, the issue of gentrification in Lower Manhattan was explored. The scope of this study covered commercial and residential gentrification of the Community Board 3 District, with a focus on Alphabet City. The purpose of this study was to observe the commercial and residential gentrification in Alphabet City and see if there are any effects on the overall cultural integrity of the community. Indications of gentrification were found in both field observations, such as luxury buildings, trendy restaurants and boutiques, and large corporations moving into the neighborhoods. Despite not knowing the zoning plan carried out under the Bloomberg administration, many respondents were able to say that they have known someone who has faced landlord harassment after 2008. Although many participants of the survey did not know the reasoning behind the sudden revitalizations found in their communities, most were able to see the effects of it. In addition, inexpensive rent has become harder and harder to find throughout the communities. Interviewees had differing opinions on the gentrification seen in their specific areas, all knew that there were always going to be consequences behind the beautification.

Throughout the articles found in the Literary Review, contrasting perspectives were supplied as well as in the interviews. This is not surprising considering the different stances that were clearly made in certain articles and the present bias in each individual. The interviewees also had different levels of understanding when it came to the topic so one must also keep that in mind. When speaking to an older resident, we as interviewers must understand that they have seen more than us and have experienced certain changes first hand. Although Stanley Yu did not have the same opinion as I did on the topic, we both can come to an agreement that there are negatives to gentrification and not everything is as good as it seems. Zishun Ning, a community activist in Chinatown and the Lower East Side has been working for the past decade to help fight against displacement caused by gentrification. Being someone who has dealt with residents who have been negatively impacted on a daily basis and having delved into the political aspects behind revitalizations in the real estate market, he was able to give clearer answers to the interview questions and able to provide us information on how important it is to stay aware of what happens around you and to always question your government. The survey answers further proved this argument. Many did not know the reasoning behind their neighborhood changing but had seen it with their eyes. When you are uninformed, you become compliant with your situation and it creates a society of people not liking what is happening around them but feeling helpless in their ability to create change.

There were some methods that could not be conducted that would have helped provide a full scope of this study. Firstly, due to COVID-19, face to face interviews were not conducted which cut off potential interviews that could have given insight into the objective of this study. In addition, because of the narrow time frame for collecting data, many potential interview/survey participants did not have enough time to respond back to answer questions. These limitations affected the overall outcome by certain perspectives not being fully acknowledged in this study thus leaving us to work with what we could accomplish.

Gentrification is a direct effect of capitalism in our society. There may possibly be no real way to stop gentrification from continuing completely but there are ways communities and individuals can do their part in contributing less. Buying from local stores and supporting small businesses that have been serving the community for many years is a perfect way to give back while keeping the money circulating in your own neighborhood. Making sure to stay up to date with any tennant meetings or community board meetings that interest you allows the residents to be more aware of what is happening in their own communities and keep the power in the peoples hands. Stay informed, and do not let the culture of your neighborhood fade away in front of your own eyes.

References

Gerringer, A. J. (2000, September). Urban Transformation, from A to D – Alphabet City. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://cooperator.com/article/alphabet-city/full

Kussin, Z. (2015, October 29). Gentrification strikes Alphabet City. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://nypost.com/2015/10/29/record-setting-real-estate-gentrifies-once-gritty-alphabet-city/

Derby, D. (2019, November 7). NYC’s diverse culture seemingly fading: The real consequences of gentrification. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from Derby, D. (2019, November 7). NYC’s diverse culture seemingly fading: The real consequences of gentrification. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://inewsnetwork.net/6779/investigations/nycs-diverse-culture-seemingly-fading-the-real-consequences-of-gentrification/

Appendix

Sample Interview Questions

Chinatown:

Could you tell me more about your role in this organization and what has interested you to take part in it?
Do tenants who live in rent stabilized apartments in Chinatown feel the effects of residential gentrification? How so?
How are new developments in the area viewed by both the older and younger residents of Chinatown?
Are there many younger residents in the organization? If so, what are their concerns of the neighborhood?
What has been the main tactic of this organization to combat residential gentrification?
What has been the biggest challenge you and this organization have faced when trying to help relieve the problems of residents in Chinatown?
Is there anything that I haven’t asked you that you wish to contribute to this interview?

East Village:

Are we aware of the increase of prices around the neighborhood as well as the different development plans happening?
Has covid 19 affected anything with pricing and/or sales currently?
Do you have any concerns for the neighborhood or the building’s tenants?
Do you feel that corporations such as your own contribute to gentrification?
Do you think the buildings that you manage are more meant for certain classes of people? Such as lower income class, middle income class and high income class?
Could you explain to me more about the role you play in your corporation being the vice president?
Do you ever feel the need to have a building change due to the circumstances in the neighborhood? This can include massive renovations, and quality of life changes to the complexes.

Alphabet City:

For Restaurant Owners

How long has your establishment been opened?

*if there for a reasonably longer time, ask question 2*

Has rent been rising over the years and has it ever caused any issues?
What is your general age range of your customers?
Do you feel as though you are making an improvement to the community through your business?
Do you yourself, live in the Lower East Side?
How does your establishment bring money back into the community you serve?

For Tenants Association/ Community Board Member

What is your role and how long have you served in the community?
How long have you lived in the Lower East Side?
What made you interested in taking action for what happens in your community?
Is gentrification something you feel is a big problem in the community and something residents should take more awareness to?
Have you seen an increase in outsiders coming into the community because of the newer development in the community?
Do you feel as though the new development is an improvement to the Lower East Side?
Do you notice a difference in the culture of the overall community or those in NYCHA compared to those who are not?
How do you see the future of NYCHA playing out in our community in a society that relies so much on increasing profit?

Survey Questions

Have you lived in Chinatown over the past 15 years?

Yes B. No

Are you currently over the age of 18?

Yes B. No

———————————————————————————————————————

Are you aware of the zoning plan done by the Bloomberg administration in Chinatown after 2008?

Yes B. No

What changes to the neighborhood have you seen occur in Chinatown after 2008? Answer:_____________________________________________
While living in Chinatown, what tenant harassment methods done by landlords that you have heard people experienced the most ?

Buyouts B. Summons to court C. Refusal to collect rent and renew leases D. Refusal to do repairs E. I have not heard anyone experiencing such things

If you are not living in a rent stabilized apartment, have you experienced any dramatic increases in rent?

Yes B. No

On a scale from one to three how difficult has it been to find affordable housing in Chinatown after 2008?

1 -Not difficult 2 -Somewhat difficult 3- Very difficult Does not apply

Have you seen many new luxury buildings/apartments pop up in Chinatown? a. Yes b. No
Has there been a noticeable shift in the Chinatown population after 2008?

Yes i. How do you feel about this shift Answer: ___________________
No