Camba Gardens - Actually Affordable Housing

Guitarist Vernon Reid was asked, back when he was high-flying with his rock band Living Colour, what the "New York Sound" was. He said if there was a NY Sound it was probably the sound of people looking for cheap apartments. And while there are no more "cheap" apartments to be had, at least not with bathrooms or electricity, we often hear about the crisis of affordable housing. Affordable housing. Yes, affordable housing...

Politicians are for it! (They're also for education, jobs and mothers). But what exactly is "affordable housing?" Sounds about as vague as the term "middle class." However to some non-profit developers, like CAMBA, affordable housing means something quite specific, and I doubt very much that any of you are paying anything like what CAMBA is offering for its newly constructed apartments at CAMBA Gardens, just down Clarkson Ave near Kings County Hospital. A one-bedroom for $810. A two-bedroom for $976. A three-bedroom for $1,127. Granted, you won't be living in Tribeca or Dumbo, but it ain't so bad in East Flatbush, or Wingate, or whatever you want to call Kingscounty-ville. CAMBA also built those new supportive services furnished apartments over at 97 Crooke Avenue in the micronabe the Q likes to call Caledonia, the ones for chronically homeless and seriously mentally ill tenants. CAMBA Gardens, however, has no such requirements. Thank God! It must be so hard to PROVE you're mentally ill and homeless on a housing application!! (off color joke, sorry).

If you want an application for CAMBA Gardens, see the below flyer, or go to Camba Gardens webpage. Granted the lottery will have brutal odds, but you never know. Actually, I have friends who have won these lotteries. You may have to apply for tons before you get an "affordable" apartment, but if your income falls into the guidelines it's certainly worth trying.

So why aren't there more options like this? And why does living in NYC have to rely so much on luck and timing? Whenever you hear a politician claim to be "for" affordable housing, I suggest you stick your hand up and demand exactly what they mean and how they're going to make it happen. Because anyone running for City office who doesn't know this stuff backwards and forwards is not worth voting for. And how about politicians who don't know about the many ways that tenants are harassed into leaving their longtime homes by greedy landlords? And how about politicians who don't know how city budgets work and how to leverage and influence others towards the needs of their districts? And how about politicians who...argh, don't get me started...