City Comptroller, Scott Stringer, published an analysis of Mayor Bill de Blasio's plans to rezone neighborhoods to prompt affordable housing construction. 

Affordable housing is certainly well and good, and any other day, we would absolutely encourage its construction. 

Except, Stringer points out one tiny little problem with de Blasio's seemingly well intentioned plan.

That problem? Oh, just that nearly 50,000 East New York residents could be displaced by de Blasio's rezoning plan.

"The City's own data shows that the current plan could inadvertently displace tens of thousands of families in East New York, the vast majority of whom will be unable to afford the relatively small number of new units that will be built," Stringer said.

According to DNAinfo, there are currently 22,000 units in the area, most of which house two-to-four family homes that aren't subject to rent regulation.

If de Blasio's new development starts pushing rents upward, those current residents may be unable to afford the market rate housing units.

In fact, Stringer went as far as stating that 55% of the residents in East New York will be unable to afford the proposed "affordable" units.

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According to Stringer's analysis, there are currently 49,266 low-income residents in East New York and its surrounding communities at risk of displacement. Due to their lack of lease renewal rights, these residents would be subject to market-rate rental increases.

"The rezoning would place these residents at an increased risk of displacement by creating new rental pressures on existing residents through the introduction of thousands of new higher income residents," Stringer said.

Obviously, de Blasio's administration was not happy with Stringer's analysis. 

"The comptroller's [report] has it completely backwards," said de Blasio spokesperson Wiley Norvell. 

"These are families that are in danger today because the market is already putting pressure on their rents. It'll take enormous preservation and new affordable housing efforts to turn that tide, which is precisely what the city is working for."

The pressure Norvell mentioned is obvious. According to a report from Streeteasy, the median asking rent in NYC has risen 16% in the last year.

It's not a surprise that East New York's local community board voted "no," on the mayor's plans. If the Mayor does build the "affordable housing," the East New York Community fears its current residents wouldn't be able to afford the new housing.

When it comes down to it, we're glad the Mayor is working to increase affordable housing, especially in our increasingly disturbing climate of homelessness. 

It's definitely a perplexing paradox, though. Mayor de Blasio's attempt to improve the housing situation in East New York might render 49,266 of its current residents homeless.

Still, Stringer's administration doesn't seem to believe the plan will actually go into affect anytime soon.

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"The rezoning proposal provides no sites, no developers and no details," said Stringer's spokesperson Eric Sumberg, who called de Blasio's rezoning plan a "merely aspirational" goal. 

Until the de Blasio administration comes forward with sites, developers, and specific details, we're guessing the residents of East New York can breathe a sigh of relief. For now, at least.

De Blasio, if you really want to help, maybe you should work on securing rent stabilization for East New York's residents. That would protect them from upward pressures in the rental market, and that would be much more helpful than building apartments that might drive them out of their homes.

Check out the NYC Neighborhoods With the Most Student Loan Debt. 

[via DNAinfo] [Feature Image Courtesy Brownstoner]