SUPPORT UPTOWN! END Columbia's University's Greedy Expansion!

                                                    Presented By:

NEW YORK INTERFAITH COMMISSION FOR HOUSING EQUALITY

Save Harlem Petition

11/10/2023

ISSUE:

On December 8, 2008 the Empire State Development Corporation approved the Columbia University Education Mixed-Use Development Plan which includes: (1) acquisition of 200,000 sq. ft. of land per year totaling 5-6 million sq. ft. or approximately 30 blocks over 25 years from West Harlem and Washington Heights; (2) use of eminent domain in order to purchase land from private owners who refuse to sell; (3) access to funds from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone in order to displace uptown residents; and (4) the use of students to gentrify neighborhoods by increasing the economics of neighborhoods thereby causing rents to increase leading to displacement of local residents.

In addition, the university continually use their tax-exempt privilege to purchase and hoard property to prohibit African Americans and Latinos from locating near the university, prevent development of Harlem-on-the Hudson and Dyckman Waterfront as the uptown economic generator and to enable the expansion into West Harlem and Washington Heights. 

The university has used the tax-exemption privilege as a weapon again uptown residents. An example is the acquisition of the Fairway properties to prohibit the Harlem community from developing the Harlem-on-the-Hudson and Dyckman Waterfront as the uptown economic and workforce housing generator. 

   IMPACT

The impact of these issues will be the repopulation of the uptown communities. Land values will soar causing mass displacement of resident, community based institutions, businesses and local elected officials. The purpose is ensure the residents and elected official support the position of the university.

The population of the West Harlem and Washington Heights and vicinity is approximately 354,747 and the median income is approximately $59,000. If Columbia University become the uptown landlord these working class families will be displaced, the annihilation of the most famous neighborhoods. 

ACTION: PETITION TO GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL

The residents are requesting that Governor Hochul encourage the Empire State Development Corporation to: (1) rescind the Columbia University Education Mixed-Use Development Program which was designed to gentrify West Harlem and Washington Heights; (2) require the university to make public the properties the university acquired; (3) prevent the university from using their personnel and/or students from gentrifying uptown neighborhoods; (4) support legislation that would prevent the university from using their tax-exempt status for discriminatory purposes. 

Check Out More Information In The Links Below To Learn About: 

Columbia University's Greedy Use Of Eminent Domain

Harlem Is On The Brink Of Extinction (Here are some solutions)

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EXCITING UPDATE (4/10/2024): Senator Cordell Cleare has proposed a bill to NYS legislature calling for Columbia University to rescind it's expansion plan! Check out the bill below:

 Senator Cordell Cleare's Bill

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