Letters to the Editor: A Section 8 crisis in a world with abundant luxury condos
A month of action to stop the Section 8 housing crisis has begun. This is a real step forward in our fight against the government’s housing policies, which disproportionately impact homeless and working class people in the inner city. We are proud to be a part of this campaign, and we hope to have a significant impact on this city’s future. The stakes are high, though. Section 8 is the most visible form of the crisis we are facing.
If there is a silver lining to this year’s action, its that this city’s leaders are finally seeing what is happening before the rest of the country, and that they are responding to the public’s needs. The current administration has been slow to respond to the crisis, and this is clear throughout the city, not just in the downtown areas. Yet, the administration’s response has always been top-down, and we see that as the only way to deal with a situation like this. We hope that our city’s leaders will recognize that there are other options. The city administration should be leading rather than responding.
We are in the perfect position to lead by example. There are more people than ever in the city who are struggling, and living in conditions they don’t choose. They need our help, and the city should step up, as it has never responded to a Section 8 crisis.
Here are just a few of the reasons why our fight should help people.
The city of New York spends some of the highest sales and property taxes in the country, but has spent years cutting those taxes to the bone. The City Council is also ignoring the most pressing crisis facing working-class and struggling people in the city today.
We can’t fix our society unless we are able to solve the housing crisis our city’s working class and homeless people face every day. This means taking on the Section 8 housing crisis and supporting working people and families across the city who have been turned into collateral damage in the ongoing battle for the highest rents and the highest sales and property taxes in the country.
What if the city spent less and saved $1 billion to help struggling, working-class and homeless people? Instead of fighting for a luxury condo in Manhattan to save, those who depend on Section 8 vouchers could move to a safer, healthier place in the city that accepts