https://gothamist.com/news/facts-about-homeless-subway
https://nypost.com/2021/08/05/nearly-half-of-luxury-units-empty-in-billionaires-row-buildings/
https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-worlds-skinniest-skyscraper-steinway-tower-new-york-city-2019-10
United Nations SDG 9,11
Overview
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. SDG 9 and 11, "Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure" and "Sustainable Cities and Communities," address the major challenges of building infrastructure and making urbanization sustainable and equitable. Our research in New York City found that these goals are not being effectively implemented, as demonstrated by issues such as trash accumulation, homelessness, and gentrification in certain neighborhoods. The root causes include zoning laws that contribute to a housing shortage and the lobbying efforts of certain industries that prioritize profits over the well-being of lower income communities. To address these issues and achieve the SDGs, it is necessary to promote inclusive and sustainable development and prioritize the needs of all members of society.
United Nations SDG 9,11
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, with the aim of ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring peace and prosperity for all by 2030. SDG 9, "Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure," and SDG 11, "Sustainable Cities and Communities," are two goals that are closely interconnected and address some of the major challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. SDG 9 aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation, while SDG 11 seeks to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. These goals recognize the importance of creating the physical and technological infrastructure necessary for economic development and social progress, as well as the need to ensure that urbanization is sustainable and equitable, in order to achieve a better future for all.
Our team originally did our research separately. Chelsea did her research near her grandmothers house in East New York. Here she noticed trash piling up, Homeless and mentally ill people sleeping in the streets, and obvious signs of gentrification. Matthew first stayed in his local area, Jamaica Queens. Here he visited the local train station, Jamaica 179th st, and surveyed the area. He noticed that this area was neglected and trash was everywhere. There were garbage cans knocked over and homeless people sleeping in the train station. We picked up on this pattern when we went over our research a few days later. Matthew also noticed that many local small businesses had shut down while at the same time seeing many major corporations opening stores in the same area, a very strange and unsetteing thing to see. We both went into this original research with the same questions; is New York really as luxurious as outsiders believe? Does everyone in New York experience the same level of living? Why are there homeless people living in the subways? How are local businesses doing?
As we mentioned in the previous section we noticed certain similarities between our research, although they were done in completely different areas. Chelsea noticed and photographed trash bags piling up in the street, smelling up the area and possibly even causing health and safety concerns. Matthew noticed something very similar. He noticed trash scattered across the ground. So not only was it piling up in bags, but there were obvious signs of neglect to the area by the trash on the ground not being taken care of. We also both noticed a problem with homeless and mentally ill people being stranded, without a roof over their heads, in the colder months. We came across a lot of data that supported our claims. We saw that housing costs have increased 17% since 2020! We also found that there is a shockingly low vacancy rate in NYC, only 4%. Although in many higher end luxury building in manhattan and brooklyn had vacancy rates of over 50%! We were cleary able to see gentrification affecting out local neighborhoods aswell. We noticed these “copy and paste modern” buildings being built all over the place.
This data was very scary to read and made us feel very unsettled about the direction that we as a state, and in a bigger picture the country, are heading. Although we unfortunately cannot say that we were shocked by the data. Unfortunately many of the issues that need fixing have laws that almost encourage them. For example zoning laws in new york, and the greater country, accidentally create a housing shortage while at the same time increasing rents and property prices in the process. The thing is that as we were doing our research we discovered that this may have not been done accidentally. Wealthy land owners had actually beeing pushing for zoning laws for a while, separating residential and commercial areas, artificially increasing their property values by lowering the housing availability and affordability. Oil and gas companies as well as car companies have also lobbied for unwalkable cities, increasing out reliance on cars and in turn our reliance on gasoline. All of these things dont sound too bad for the wealthy, who experience an increase in their net worth and can afford to purchase a car. The people who really get affected by these issues are the lower income communities who have to rely on a not so safe and stable public transportation. When homeless and mentally ill people are forced onto the streets due to housing costs they find shelter in the subway stations. This is completely understandable as it gets extremely cold in the winter in NY. The issue isn't with the homeless people, it's with the local and federal government casting these communities to the side and not putting the necessary funding into them.
In conclusion, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 11 highlight the crucial role that infrastructure and urbanization play in achieving a more sustainable and equitable future. Our research in New York City revealed that these goals are not being effectively implemented in the city, as evidenced by the presence of trash, homelessness, and gentrification in certain neighborhoods. The root causes of these issues include zoning laws that contribute to a housing shortage and the lobbying efforts of certain industries that prioritize profits over the well-being of lower income communities. As a result, New York is not the glamorous and luxurious place that is often depicted in media, and many people struggle to afford the basic necessities of life, such as housing and transportation. To address these challenges and move towards the realization of the SDGs, it is necessary for governments, businesses, and individuals to take action to promote inclusive and sustainable development, and to prioritize the needs and well-being of all members of society. This may involve reforming zoning laws and regulations, improving public transportation, and addressing the hold that corporations have on local communities. Ultimately, achieving the SDGs requires a collective effort and a commitment to creating a better future for all.
Citations
Gould, J. (2021, August 5). Nearly half of luxury units empty in seven billionaires' row buildings. New York Post. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://nypost.com/2021/08/05/nearly-half-of-luxury-units-empty-in-billionaires-row-buildings/
Iverac, M. I. (n.d.). The facts about the homeless in the Subway. Gothamist. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://gothamist.com/news/facts-about-homeless-subway
Shah, P. (2018, May 4). Menu. NYCROPOLIS. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/vellon18/gentrification/payalshah1/jamaica-queens-the-new-williamsburg/
Warren, K. (n.d.). The World's skinniest skyscraper is almost complete. I toured its first luxury condo - take a look inside the NYC Tower that's 24 times as tall as it is wide. Business Insider. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-worlds-skinniest-skyscraper-steinway-tower-new-york-city-2019-10