About 350 people took the streets of the Two Bridges neighborhood, rallying to stop developers from gentrifying their neighborhoods and to protect the working class communities of color that have lived there for decades. Credit: Aina Izham
By: Aina Izham
Date: 11/18/21
About 350 people took the streets of the Two Bridges neighborhood, rallying to stop developers from gentrifying their neighborhoods and to protect the working class communities of color that have lived there for decades. Credit: Aina Izham
The Lower East Side and Chinatown are yet again facing rapid signs of gentrification. One of the latest from Lower Manhattan is that developers have recently filed permits in early October to start construction of 4 megatowers that are planned to be built at the Two Bridges Waterfront where many communities of color still live today. Grace Mak, a community organizer from Two Bridges said that their neighborhoods are “the last few pieces of the Lower East Side we want to protect.”
However, this has been going on for years. One of the few indicators of gentrification is the poverty rates throughout the years. According to the NYU Furman Center, poverty rates have changed drastically between 2009 to 2019.
According to reports, Mayor Bill de Blasio coming into office in 2014 has helped reduce the poverty rates in New York City. The de Blasio administration claimed that raising minimum wages and finding more opportunities for disadvantaged residents has contributed to the decline around the time.