LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Enough helping the rich already

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To the editor:

When I purchased my home on Fieldston Road on July 1, 1996, my property was bordered by 16 acres of forestland, home to the red-tailed hawk, raccoons, fox, coyote, and other natural inhabitants.

Although the raccoons at times became a nuisance, I enjoyed living adjacent to this bucolic natural area.

Then suddenly, between Christmas 2004 and New Year’s Day 2005, all of the trees were removed. 

The removal was to make way for development of Villanova Heights.

This area was part of Riverdale’s Special Natural Area District. These properties were valued between $5 million and $8 million. To date, none of the properties have been sold. Many of them are being rented.

More recently, a project titled 245 Fieldston LLC to develop an area along Fieldston Road and Mahattan College Parkway was reviewed by Community Board 8’s land use committee. The proposal was originally to develop and construct five mansions.

Ultimately, the project was scaled back to two mansions, and was approved.

This area also is within the SNAD. 

Now that these properties are approved, what is going to prevent the owner of this property from continuing to develop the remaining parcels of land?

Where is Community Board 8’s action to protect the SNAD?

Since I have been a resident of the community board, I believe Charles Moerdler has been chair of the land use committee. He has not done anything to protect the SNAD, and it is continually being eroded.

Yet, when a homeless project is proposed, it is automatically subject to community opposition.

New York City is struggling to provide affordable housing, and homelessness is on the rise. Why have these projects been allowed to go forward without any discussion about providing affordable housing?

The wealthy landowners grow richer, while homeless families and individuals are marginalized.

John Benfatti

John Benfatti

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