INTRODUCTION (the Mayor of some great city): The Mayor stepped up to the podium. He gazed upon the crowd, making sure that all in attendance were fixed upon him, anticipating his impending speech. “My fellow New Yorkers, we have a housing crisis. This crisis will not solve itself! And this Read more
Banana Kelly initiated a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of the design and build-out of our second Summer Camp and After School location at 991 Union Avenue. To make a contribution to this exciting new space for the children and their families in our South Bronx community click the Read more
Our 10th Annual Meet & Greet was a huge success! Thanks to all who joined us in celebrating another year of Banana Kelly and recognizing the contributions of JOE NYC and ANHD to the field of affordable housing. If you weren’t able to make the event, you can watch a Read more
I have been provided with the opportunity to speak to how my organization, Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, a community development corporation in the Bronx, has progressed in its transformative work. And there is much I can report. For example, I can talk about the thousands of units of affordable Read more
President’s Address Greetings to all and welcome to our 9th Annual Meet and Greet, an event that marks our 40th Anniversary as a Community Development Corporation. This event also serves as the last such event that I will be addressing you as President of Banana Kelly. I say this with Read more
Remarks by Harry DeRienzo I want to thank CASA and all its leaders for this distinguished honor. I am proud of what CASA has done for our Bronx neighborhoods and for the city as a whole. I am gratified to be a small part of that success. Paolo Friere once Read more
By Harry DeRienzo On April 25th, the United States Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson, announced this administration’s proposal to raise the tenant share of subsidized rent to 35%. At present, the tenant share is 30%. The result will be substantial increases in rent for Read more
There is a deep, pervasive history of racism in this country. Over time and in varying forms, much of this racism has found expression in land use actions, including zoning actions. As such, it is not surprising that given the current push in New York City to rezone 15 neighborhoods Read more
There is a deep, pervasive history of racism in this country. Over time and in varying forms, much of this racism has found expression in land use actions, including zoning actions. As such, it is not surprising that given the current push in New York City to rezone 15 neighborhoods Read more
Blog by Harold DeRienzo In the Spring of 2014 Mayor de Blasio announced his ambitious 10-year housing plan to “build and preserve” 200,000 units of “affordable housing.” At the time, the city was in good fiscal shape. The economy overall was doing well, and there was every indication that no Read more