Imani garden at Schenectady and Dean may be built on

Located at 87-91 Schenectady, this garden sits on land that is owned by NYC and will likely be soon given notice that it needs to leave.

The land would be sold to a developer who develops below market housing.    Needless to say, the people who have invested their time and effort making it a garden want it to remain one.    

Those in favor of keeping the lot a garden have created a petition:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-destroy-a-community.fb50?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=6264763

If you consider $2,300 per month for a two bedroom "below market"! It's just a mindless land grab that will destroy a community garden to built 3-4 expensive apartments. Don't believe the hype.

The least expensive apartment must be affordable for a family of four earning 80% of the area median income, or $66,800 per year. The NYC AMI includes Westchester, LI and northern NJ. Hence the "affordable" rent of $2,300.

For such reasons, I try not use the term "affordable".

I use "below market", instead.

When people stop applying by the thousands for a chance to live in these units, I will stop calling them "below market".

The garden has looked lovely each time I have visited.

Located at 87-91 Schenectady, this garden sits on public that is owned by NYC and will likely be soon given notice that it needs to leave.

The land would be sold to a developer who develops below market housing.    Needless to say, the people who have invested their time and effort making it a garden want it to remain one.    

Those in favor of keeping the lot a garden have created a petition:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-destroy-a-community.fb50?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=6264763

Ugh. Thanks for the petition link.

Several NYC gardens have been told they are at risk of becoming subsidized housing.

While I doubt that petitions will have much of an effect, a graden in Harlem has collected over 1000 signatures:

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150128/central-harlem/more-than-1000-people-sign-petition-save-harlems-community-gardens

...while Imani has only secured around 90

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-destroy-a-community.fb50?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=6264763

Come guys, sign the petition, unless you want to go to Harlem to get your garden on.  

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-destroy-a-community.fb50?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=6264763

17 gardens are under threat of development.

Here's what one in Bushwick is doing to try and save itself:

http://596acres.org/en/news/2015/01/26/council-member-antonio-reynoso-responds-to-housing-preservation-and-development-request-for-qualifications/

There's also a rally tomorrow at City Hall. http://www.ediblebrooklyn.com/2015/02/09/rally-city-hall-tomorrow-february-9-help-save-16-active-community-garden-sites/

I perceive many community gardeners as being pretty far left on the political spectrum, so it is a little interesting to see them pursue their own interests as opposed to that of a mayor who is regarded as pretty far left.

It is kind of like when the far left fell out of love with Obama in his first term. They really imagined that he would be completely different, that none of the same constraints, rules and motivations applied to him.

press from rally:  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/12/garden/in-community-gardens-a-new-weed.html?_r=0

Prior efforts to save prior gardens: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/nyregion/wary-of-a-new-threat-community-garden-activists-in-new-york-look-back.html?_r=1

An well written article that talks about why the city is considering giving the lots to developers of subsidized housing FOR FREE: http://brooklyndeep.org/bed-stuy-is-focus-of-concerns-over-fate-of-community-gardens/

Imani isn't mentioned, but is in the same situation.

Part of the property Imani sits on is now in the process of being sold to a developer of subsidized housing.

http://www.green-phoenix.org/easyblog/entry/must-this-tree-die-help-save-imani