Mayor Bill de Blasio

[HONDO74]

You just have to love this guy, he is one magnificent socialist.

Mayor Bill de Blasio cited his "socialistic impulse" in describing an ideal world where New York City government has control over all land and buildings in his city.

“I think people all over this city, of every background, would like to have the city government be able to determine which building goes where, how high it will be, who gets to live in it, what the rent will be,” de Blasio said in a wide-ranging interview with New York Magazine. “I think there’s a socialistic impulse, which I hear every day, in every kind of community that they would like things to be planned in accordance to their needs.”

Asked about housing inequality, the progressive Democrat de Blasio bemoaned the soaring rent and home prices in one of the world’s most expensive cities and said that ideally the city government would be able to implement tough laws around income levels and rents.

“Look, if I had my druthers, the city government would determine every single plot of land, how development would proceed," he said. "And there would be very stringent requirements around income levels and rents.”

“That’s a world I’d love to see, and I think what we have, in this city at least, are people who would love to have the New Deal back, on one level,” he said. “They’d love to have a very, very powerful government, including a federal government, involved in directly addressing their day-to-day reality.”

The average monthly rental payment for a two bedroom apartment in New York City is $2,524, more than double the national average of $1180, according to Census statistics compiled by Apartment List. deBlasio said those prices keep "everyday" people away.

“I was down one day on Varick Street, somewhere close to Canal, and there was a big sign out front of a new condo saying, ‘Units start at $2 million’” de Blasio in reference to a street in Lower Manhattan. “And that just drives people stark raving mad in this city, because that kind of development is clearly not for everyday people.”

.....I was under the impression that NYC was for the RICH since it it is the most expensive in the world. The city that Wall Street built. Can "everyday people.” even afford the taxes in NYC. ??

[Rufus T. Firefly]

“I was down one day on Varick Street, somewhere close to Canal, and there was a big sign out front of a new condo saying, ‘Units start at $2 million’” de Blasio in reference to a street in Lower Manhattan. “And that just drives people stark raving mad in this city, because that kind of development is clearly not for everyday people.”

It's not just NYC; new units in the yet to be built building behind where I was staying in Sarasota a week ago started at $2 million.

Can "everyday people.” even afford the taxes in NYC. ??

Try listing a lot of cities where "everyday people” can't afford to live...

Like San Fran, Boston, Seattle, San Jose, Oakland, LA, DC (heck, the surrounding counties in VA are probably as if not more expensive....), Anaheim.....

[robert.]

He spent 7.4 million on his second campaign. 2.6 of that was NY public funding. His competition raised only $80,000. A lot of people in nyc felt de blasio should have denied public funding

[Rufus T. Firefly]

He spent 7.4 million on his second campaign. 2.6 of that was NY public funding. His competition raised only $80,000. A lot of people in nyc felt de blasio should have denied public funding

They might be better served is they'd applied themselves to changing the laws that permit that to happen.

[robert.]

I agree. It’s funny how a man that wants things affordable said nothing about the high price of a campaign. I want the common man to be able to live here but not run for office. I don’t smoke so cigarette taxes don’t bother me. In nyc a pack of cigarettes is $15.00

[Rufus T. Firefly]

In nyc a pack of cigarettes is $15.00

Good.

[HONDO74]

Rufus, do you want the government to control every aspect of your property, because that is what Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to do.

As the population of the country continues to expand the price for property will continue to escalate. Is there any vacant land in NYC ? or do they tear down something that exist and build something new. Any big city in the country that has high paying jobs is in the same situation.

Silicon valley in Calif is a good example. High paying tech jobs and the people flock in for those jobs and inflate the price for property and the money they make goes to pay for a mortgage or rent...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Rufus, do you want the government to control every aspect of your property, because that is what Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to do.

Did I say that? Pretty sure I didn't. And, I don't live in NYC . Do you? If not, why do you care. BTW, you should try to understand that the Gov't already does control just about every aspect of your property and the concept of property ownership is really a chimera - the Gov't can and will pretty much do whatever it wants with your property just about any time it really wants to do so whether you like it or not.

As the population of the country continues to expand the price for property will continue to escalate. Is there any vacant land in NYC ? or do they tear down something that exist and build something new. Any big city in the country that has high paying jobs is in the same situation.

There actually is but it's some park..... But any vacant land there is worth what can be built on it. Same around here - the house is not what has value; they tear it down and build a new and bigger house and then sell it for more.

Silicon valley in Calif is a good example. High paying tech jobs and the people flock in for those jobs and inflate the price for property and the money they make goes to pay for a mortgage or rent...

If they are actually qualified, they might get one of those jobs. There's a shortage of qualified candidates for tech and engineering jobs - that drives the salaries up higher. Limited numbers of houses and limited locations to build - price goes up.

[chuck]

Not going to try to defend the mayor (IMHO a tone deaf a hole), BUT, lower Manhattan is some of the most expensive real estate on the planet. Since this is based on FMV, what is anyone supposed to do about it?

The second Avenue subway isn't finished yet but it is already impacting properties on the upper east side. If/when the line is finished so will one of the last large areas of low cost housing. Other sections of Manhattan have been re-gentrified (Upper west side, mid west side). Very small areas of upper Manhattan are all that's left and it's going, going, gone. These areas were only developed in the last 100 years or so. Grand Central terminal is on 42 street. When the first edition (aka "the Depot") was built in 1869 the surrounding area was largely undeveloped. While the southern tip was settled in in 1624 (yep, coming up on its 400th birthday), it took about 300 years to get to what is now considered mid down. The mass expansion took less than 100 years (in a large part courtesy of the IRT/BMT subways).

It should be noted that Manhattan is only one of the five counties that comprise New York City and is actually the smallest (22.83 square miles) with a total population of 1.66 million (occupancy swells to twice that on most days with visitors/workers). When you look at the total land mass of the five Burroughs/counties that make up the city that figure is just over 300 square miles with a total population/residents of 8.6 million. The Bronx, Staten Island, most of Queens and the eastern and southern parts of Brooklyn would be considered "suburbs" in other places and their property costs are more in line with that. We can argue the "value" of the property taxes in terms of what you get for what you pay. Thats why there are another 12 million people in what is considered the "New York Metropolitan Area". Most of these folks found the city taxes, lack of yard space, quality of schools, crowding, etc, etc. less palatable and they moved to the surrounding 13,000 square miles. Aka they voted with their feet (or maybe their cars).

[HONDO74]

Chuck, as you have stated it I can't see anything changing.

From the interview.
“Look, if I had my druthers, the city government would determine every single plot of land, how development would proceed," he said. "And there would be very stringent requirements around income levels and rents.”

What would happen if Bill de Blasio was in control of all the property, Would there be a rebellion

[PRR Man]

Mayor Bill is a typical left side politician that says what the populace want to hear. Those that want to be given everything.
We here in the tri-state knew that from the get-go.

John Galt rolls over in his grave.

[Mitch]

You just have to love this guy, he is one magnificent socialist.

Mayor Bill de Blasio cited his "socialistic impulse" in describing an ideal world where New York City government has control over all land and buildings in his city.

“I think people all over this city, of every background, would like to have the city government be able to determine which building goes where, how high it will be, who gets to live in it, what the rent will be,” de Blasio said in a wide-ranging interview with New York Magazine. “I think there’s a socialistic impulse, which I hear every day, in every kind of community that they would like things to be planned in accordance to their needs.”

"From each according to his means; to each according to their need". Karl Marx

[v8vega]

California now has a extreme far left governor and both houses have a 2/3 Democrat majority. They can pass taxes, constitution amendments, do anything they want.
All statewide offices are held by Democrats.
If I wasn't so old I'd move out of this God forsaken state as most of the middle class is doing.
Heaven help me.

[Roy]

California now has a extreme far left governor and both houses have a 2/3 Democrat majority. They can pass taxes, constitution amendments, do anything they want.
All statewide offices are held by Democrats.
If I wasn't so old I'd move out of this God forsaken state as most of the middle class is doing.
Heaven help me.

Where would you like to live?

[rex desilets]

California now has a extreme far left governor and both houses have a 2/3 Democrat majority. They can pass taxes, constitution amendments, do anything they want.
All statewide offices are held by Democrats.
If I wasn't so old I'd move out of this God forsaken state as most of the middle class is doing.
Heaven help me.

Where would you like to live?

The couple who have done gardening for us have decided to retire..at age 66 the work is too hard.They are moving lock stock and barrel to Arizona. They can't afford to live in CA on their retirement savings.
As for us, like v8vega, we're too damned old to move and all of our chidren and grandchildren are here. Anyway, given my druthers, i think Eastern Tennessee. And, it's Trump country