NIMBYism Strikes Again in New York City

by Rich Lombino & Elizabeth Lombino · 2011-01-01 13:03:00 UTC
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"Not in my backyard!" Yes, NIMBYism has struck again. Last time we wrote about this issue, the neighborhood was Chelsea in Manhattan. This time, it's the northeast Bronx.

Shelters in New York City are full. More beds are necessary for the extreme need occurring during this recession. There is an Army Reserve Center in the Bronx that will soon be vacant. Mayor Bloomberg is proposing to turn this space into a homeless shelter. But Bronx leaders are saying no way.

The charge is being led by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "Mayor Bloomberg, you and your deputy mayors who are trying to make this decision and you don't live in our borough, you need to stop. Enough is enough," he said at a recent rally at City Hall.

These NIMBY situations always start the same: "Oh, we believe in helping people, but ..." Borough President Diaz stepped on the NIMBYism bandwagon by starting out the first quote in his press release with: “We understand that we must help the least fortunate among us. With that said, ..." Blah, blah, blah. We've all heard it before, and we'll hear it again and again unless something changes. Community leaders have to stand up and say: "We want to help those in our community who need it. We want to empower our residents. We want our residents to feel welcomed, and not be ashamed for what they are going through!"

What makes this so incredible is that some Bronx residents are only one paycheck away from homelessness. Don't they see the irony? Anyone can become homeless. You can't fight for a cause only when it's convenient to you.

Join us in calling on Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. to turn NIMBYism into empathy and help the homeless, not shun them away!

Photo Credit: Rich Lombino

Rich Lombino & Elizabeth Lombino are a husband and wife team dedicated to effecting social change.
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