Michael Bloomberg Thinks Lack of Affordable Housing Is a "Good Sign"
The lame duck mayor of New York City has really been speaking his mind lately: From his affinity for women in high heels, to the idea that the NYPD doesn't harass enough minorities. On his own radio show yesterday, he even decided to open up about New York City's lack of affordable housing and record homelessness. Apparently, it's all a "good sign."
"Somebody said that there’s not enough housing. That’s a good sign,” Bloomberg told listeners on WOR-AM. "“It doesn’t mean it isn’t a problem, but there are no vacancies. That will bring in investment, for people to build for all income levels, different kinds of housing.”
Those 50,000 people spending the night in shelters and countless more who brave it on the streets? Well, those are great indicators of a vibrant economy! Who wouldn't want the homeless everywhere as developers rush to fill the skyline with market-rate housing that doesn't even come close to matching the housing needs of this city.
And while the Bloomberg administration likes to talk about all the concessions they have been able to get from developers for affordable housing in new buildings, it's still an inadequate solution to filling the needs of New Yorkers (those huge developments also make the rent in units near them skyrocket as well, making whole neighborhoods unaffordable in a matter of months).
This new comment mirrors another amazing recent quote from the DGAF tone-deaf Bloomberg, while discussing overcrowding in schools: "It's a problem that's a very serious problem, but it's a nice problem to have that our kids want to go to school."
It's so very nice that people want to live in New York City, even if it means sleeping on the streets.