Seminar in Land Use, Housing and Community Development in New York City
Professors Gerecke and Salama
Readings
Fall 2015
Set forth below are the readings for the class. One coursepack and one book (Jackson,
Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States (1985)) should be purchased at
the Professional Bookstore. Aside from Crabgrass, the remaining course materials are either
available (1) in the coursepack to be purchased (items marked below as “CP”), (2) on NYU
Classes under the “Assignments” tab (items marked below as “NYUC”) organized in
folders by class date, (3) where URLs are provided below, directly from the internet, or (4)
through the NYU Library website (items marked below as “NYU Lib”) at
https://getit.library.nyu.edu/. The library readings can be accessed by entering the journal
title, selecting one of the databases from the list provided and by searching within the
correct year and volume of the journal. To access articles through the NYU Library
website from off-campus computers, you will need to enter your NYU NetID and password.
Mon 8/31
WEEK 1: Introductions; The Roots and Consequences of Urban Distress.
Last day to drop (by midnight)

Topics: Planning Visions of Moses, Jacobs and Bloomberg; The Urban
Environment in Context; New York City today (demographics and
background).
Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961): 152-77. (CP)
Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York (1975): 850-94.
(CP)
Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, State of the New York City’s
Housing and Neighborhoods 2014 Part 2: State of Residents: Demographics,
Income, Well-Being (pages 42- 50 only) accessible from:
http://furmancenter.org/files/sotc/SOC2014_Part2_CitywideAnalysis.pdf
Part 3: NYC Data (pages 66 – 67) accessible from:
http://furmancenter.org/files/sotc/SOC2014_NewYorkCity.pdf
And also Part 3: State of New Yorkers (page 68) accessible from:
http://furmancenter.org/files/sotc/SOC2014_StateOfNewYorkers.pdf
Housing Commission of the Bipartisan Policy Center, “Housing America’s
Future: New Directions for National Policy,”
http://bipartisanpolicy.org/wpcontent/uploads/sites/default/files/BPC_Housing%20Report_web_0.pdf
Only pages 15-25
9/2
Submit Paper Topic Preference Sheet to jerry.salama@nyu.edu before noon
on Wednesday September 2nd. Paper Topics will be assigned by E-mail on or
before Friday 9/4; group members to begin contacting each other.
2
Thurs 9/3
WEEK 2: The History of Urban Planning and the Impact of Federal Policy
Special Makeup 6 to 7:50
 Topics: Suburbanization; Federal Housing Policy; The Roots of
Community Development
Jackson, Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States (1985):
116-137 and 157-231. (book to be purchased by students).
Von Hoffman, “Towards a New Vision of Community Development” pdf pages 1
– 34 (http://www.frbsf.org/community-development/files/vonhoffman.pdf
9/7
Labor Day—no class
Fri 9/11
WEEK 3: New York City Low-Income Housing Policies and Programs
Special Makeup 4 to 5:50
 Topics: New York City History; Program Structure; Supply/Demand;
Capital/Operating Subsidies
Mahler, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Policies,
and the Battle for the Soul of a City (2005): 206-234. (CP)
Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, “Housing Policy in New York
City: A Brief History,” Working Paper 06-01.
http://furmancenter.org/files/publications/AHistoryofHousingPolicycombined060
1_000.pdf
Gerecke and Murphy, “Directory of New York City Housing Programs,
Understanding Affordable Housing.” (NYUC).
The City of New York, “Housing New York: A Five-Borough, Ten-Year Plan,”
Executive Summary and Introduction, pgs. 5 to 27 only.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/about/Housing-New-York.shtml
9/14
Rosh Hashanah—no class
9/18
Electronic submission of outlines to professors and TA by 12 noon.
9/21
WEEK 4: Understanding Project Housing Finance

Topics: Project Pro Formas; Development Budgets; Income/Expenses;
and the Impact of Public Subsidies


Student Presentations of Projects
Financial Exercise is available on NYUC (due 9/28). Please do the
3
exercise individually.
Miller and Geltner, Real Estate Principles for the New Economy: “Chapter 14 Cash Flow” (2005): 289-303 only. (CP)
DeGiovanni et al., Bank-Ability: A Practical Guide to Real Estate Financing for
Nonprofit Developers (1996): 11-20, 49-69. (NYUC)
9/25
Submit Revised Outlines electronically to all faculty members by 12 noon
9/28
WEEK 5: The Impact of U.S. Housing Finance Systems

Topics: Residential Mortgage Finance and Neighborhood Impacts;
Homeownership Policy; Multifamily Housing Underwriting

Bring two printed copies of Financial Exercise answers to class for
joint review. Do not submit electronically.
REQUIRED READING:
Congressional Research Service, “Overview of the Housing Finance System in the
United States, March, 2013 https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42995.pdf.
Citizens Housing and Planning Council, “Debt Threat: Saving Multifamily
Rental Housing from Zombie Mortgages,” August, 2009 pages 7-20 only
http://www.chpcny.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/final-report-web-versionzombie-cover.pdf
Evidence Matters: Paths to Homeownership for Minority and Low-Income
Families (HUD: 2012). Edited version in NYUC.
OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENTS:
Ira Glass “This American Life” podcast http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radioarchives/episode/355/the-giant-pool-of-money and the follow up
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113195159
NYU Furman Center State of New York City’s Neighborhoods 2014:
Homeownership. State of Homeowners and Their Homes (pp 30 – 35) Accessible
from:
http://furmancenter.org/files/sotc/SOC2014_Part2_CitywideAnalysis.pdf
Dan and Teri’s Mortgage: NYUC.
4
10/5
WEEK 6: Environmental Review of Housing and Economic Development
Projects

Topics: City Environmental Quality Review Process
Salama, Schill, and Springer, Reducing the Cost of New Housing Construction in
New York City, Furman Center For Real Estate & Urban Policy, (2005) “Chapter
6: Environmental Regulation,” pps. 49-57.
http://furmancenter.org/files/publications/NYCHousingCost2005.pdf
Excerpts on NYUC:
1. Article 78, NYS Civil Practice Law and Rules
2. Outline Summarizing New York Environmental Quality Review
Procedure, Part 617, NYS General Regulations
H.O.M.E.S. v. New York State Urban Development Corp., 69 A.D.2d 222 (App.
Div. 4th Dep’t 1979). (NYUC)
Chinese Staff and Workers Association v. City of New York, 68 N.Y.2d 359
(1986). (NYUC)
Chinese Staff and Workers Association, et. al.v. Amanda Burden, et. al. 2010 NY
Slip Op 50804U; 27 Misc. 3d 1219A; 910 N.Y.S.2d 761. (April 19, 2010).
(NYUC)
Association for Community Reform Now v. Bloomberg, 13 Misc. 3d 1209(A),
824 N.Y.S.2d 752, 2006 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2471, 2006 NY Slip Op 51750(U)
(N.Y. Sup. Ct. 2006) (NYUC)
10/12
WEEK 7: Land Use Review of Housing and Economic Development
Projects; Current Challenges in Multi-Family Housing Development
(Special Class for Wagner School students to attend on Columbus Day)

Topics: Uniform Land Use Review Process; Zoning and Rezoning;
Inclusionary Zoning (Mandatory or Voluntary); Development of New
Affordable Housing; Preservation of Existing Affordable Housing
(Expiring Use and Fail Out/Opt Out); Rent Stabilization
Salama, Schill, and Springer, Reducing the Cost of New Housing Construction in
New York City, Furman Center For Real Estate & Urban Policy, (2005) “Chapter
7: Zoning Regulation and Land Use Review Process” pps. 59-67.
http://furmancenter.org/files/publications/NYCHousingCost2005.pdf
Excerpts on NYUC:
5
1. Article 20, NYS General City Law
2. Outline Summarizing New York City Charter, Section 197-c
Ocean Hill Residents Assn v. City of New York, 33 Misc. 3d 792 (November 22,
2011). (NYUC)
Furman Center for Real Estate & Urban Policy, Policy Brief, “How Have Recent
Rezonings Affected the City’s Ability to Grow?” (March 2010).
http://furmancenter.org/files/publications/Rezonings_Furman_Center_Policy_Brie
f_March_2010.pdf
Smith, Stephen, “City Planning Unveils Full East New York Rezoning Details:
7,250 New Homes Expected by 2030,” New York Yimby.com Feb. 5, 2015.
http://newyorkyimby.com/2015/02/city-planning-unveils-full-east-new-yorkrezoning-details-7250-new-homes-expected-by-2030.html
The Gothamist, “Is East New York the Next Bushwick?” July 22, 2014.
http://gothamist.com/2014/07/22/east_new_york_gentrification_afford.php
Burchell and Galley, “Inclusionary Zoning: A Viable Solution to the Affordable
Housing Crisis?”
http://www.nhc.org/media/documents/InclusionaryZoning.pdf
Citizens Budget Commission, “Rent Regulation: Beyond the Rhetoric,” June
2010, Executive Summary only (pages 4 through 8).
http://www.cbcny.org/sites/default/files/REPORT_RentReg_06022010.pdf
Furman Center for Real Estate & Urban Policy, Fact Brief, “Profile of RentStabilized Units and Tenants in New York City,” June 2014.
http://furmancenter.org/research/search/search&keywords=rent+stabilization&x=
40&y=11/
10/19
WEEK 8: Community Development Corporations, Organizing and Local
Economic Development

Topics: Community Organizing; Businesses Owned/Managed by CDC’s
or Members of Low-income Communities
Von Hoffman, “Towards a New Vision of Community Development,” pdf pages
34 – 45
http://www.frbsf.org/community-development/files/vonhoffman.pdf
Alinsky, Rules for Radicals (1971): 98 – 125. (CP)
Salama and Ducey,“The New York City Venture Fund Initiative,” from the
Roberts Economic Development Foundation, “The Venture Fund Initiative,”
6
pages 50-62 (1998). (CP)
Porter, “The Comparative Advantage of the Inner City,” Harvard
Business Review, Volume 73 (May-June, 1995): 55-71. (NYU lib).
10/23
Submit First Drafts of Paper by 9 a.m. (electronically)
10/26
WEEK 9: Place-based Problems and Solutions

Topics: Racial Segregation; Concentrated Poverty; Gentrification
Crane, Randall and Manville, Michael, “People or Place?” Lincoln Institute (July
2008). http://www.community-wealth.org/_pdfs/articles-publications/crosssectoral/article-crane-manville.pdf
Rothstein, “The Urban Poor Shall Inherit Poverty” (2014)
https://prospect.org/article/urban-poor-shall-inherit-poverty
Newman, “The Right to Stay Put, Revisited: Gentrification and Resistance to
Displacement in New York City,” Urban Studies, January 2006 43: 23-57
Kelly, “Staying in the ‘Hood: Community Relocation as a Centerpiece for the
Next Generation of Urban Revitalization” in Margery Turner et al Public
Housing and the Legacy of Segregation, The Urban Institute Press (2009): 127143. (CP)
MHANY Management Inc. v. Inc. Village of Garden City, 05-CV-2301 ADS
WDW, 2013 WL 6334107 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 6, 2013).
11/2
WEEK 10: People-based Problems and Solutions

Topics: Mobility and Opportunity: Jobs, Wealth Building, Dispersal
HUD, The Edge “Economic Mobility: Measuring the American Dream,”
accessible at
http://www.huduser.org/portal/pdredge/pdr_edge_featd_article_071414.html
US Department of Housing and Urban Development, “Housing Choice Voucher
Program Fact Sheet.”
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/about/fact_sheet.cfm
Coalition for the Homeless, “History of Modern Homelessness in New York
City.”
http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/pages/basic-facts#FACTS
Download full Moving to Opportunity Report at
7
http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/pubasst/MTOFHD.html. Read
Chapter 8, pages 253 – 265.
11/09
WEEK 11: Affordable Housing Case Study Atlantic Yards
11/13
Field Trip to Brooklyn Friday 8:30 a.m.
11/16
WEEK 12: Guest Speaker
11/18
Papers for 11/23 presentations are due at 9 a.m. on 11/18. Submit electronically
to all faculty and students.
11/23
WEEK 13: Student Presentation of Final Papers
11/26
Papers for 11/30 presentations are due at 9 a.m. on 11/25. Submit electronically
to all faculty and students.
11/30
WEEK 14: Student Presentation of Final Papers, continued