Thompson: No Luxury Hi-Rises in NYCHA Housing

Democratic Mayoral contender Bill Thompson called NYCHA's fast-track plan to build more than 3,000 luxury hi-rise units in public housing projects, praised by Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a "creative idea", a "bonehead move".

If elected, Thompson said, he would reject what he called NYCHA's "Monopoly game" for upscale real estate investors.

The NYCHA plan would allow developers to rent out 80% of the new apartments at “market rate", reserving only 20% for families making $50,000 or less.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, also running for mayor, slammed NYCHA for springing the plan on just five weeks notice, despite repeated invitations to consult with the council and NYCHA residents.

Quinn and Thompson joined fellow mayoral contenders City Controller John Liu and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio in vowing to replace the entire NYCHA board, including Chair John Rhea, a Bloomberg appointee.

The post from Bill Thompson's campaign website.

The situation confronting John Rhea is the result of declining federal support for public housing [City Limits.]