The New York City Housing Authority is considering selling advertisements on its buildings, according to an article published today by Jonathan Lemire at The New York Daily News.
The authority "quietly circulated notice last week that it's looking to hire a consultant to advise them on selling advertising space in developments that more than 400,000 people call home," the article said.
Residents, of course, would not be the only people exposed to some of the ads as many of the authority's residential complexes are in areas that have undergone some gentrification in recent years.
The Chelsea-Elliot Houses, for example, is a combined housing project of the New York City Housing Authority located between West 25th and 27th Streets and Ninth and Tenth Avenues smack in the center of Chelsea, one of the city's hottest residential neighborhoods. It consists of the John Lovejoy Elliott Houses, named after the founder of the Hudson Guild, that has four 11- and 12-story buildings which accommodate over 1400 residents in 589 apartments, and the Chelsea Houses that has over 1,000 residents in 426 apartments in two 21-story buildings. They can be seen from the London Terrace co-operative apartment building at 410 West 24th Street.
"The plan," the article continued, "drew outrage from lawmakers and experts who worry advertisers would prey on the projects' low-income residents. 'Advertising always follows geography and demographics,' said Aurora Wallace, professor of media studies at New York University, who said the Housing Authority's plan would be the first of its kind if implemented."
"'Look at low-income neighborhoods already: There is a real concentration of distinctly 'not good for you' products being advertised,' said Wallace. 'Tiffany's, let's say, probably isn't going to be interested in advertising there,'" the article continued.
The article said that "a spokeswoman at the Housing Authority, which runs 334 developments across the five boroughs, deemed the idea an 'exploratory effort.'"
The proposal sparked fears among residents that building lobbies, facades, courtyard benches or trash bins could be plastered with ads touting unhealthy products, the article said, adding that experts said that even ads featuring noncontroversial products would be a real intrusion.
Sheila Stainback of the Housing Authority told The News that "residents will be consulted throughout the process," adding that "any design and execution of an advertising program ultimately must enhance the lives of residents by including messages that are helpful and beneficial."
When asked if certain products like alcohol, fast food or the lottery would be prohibited from advertising in the city-run buildings, Stainback declined to weigh in, the article said, adding that the authority "is establishing guidelines that have not yet been finalized."
The tobacco industry is not allowed to advertise on authority property and some elected officials said they hoped a similar city-enforced ban would be placed on other products, according to the article.
The article quoted Brooklyn City Councilwoman Letitia James that "there are poor health indicators in public housing, and at a time when obesity is an epidemic, I would have a real problem with fast food."
The authority "quietly circulated notice last week that it's looking to hire a consultant to advise them on selling advertising space in developments that more than 400,000 people call home," the article said.
Residents, of course, would not be the only people exposed to some of the ads as many of the authority's residential complexes are in areas that have undergone some gentrification in recent years.
The Chelsea-Elliot Houses, for example, is a combined housing project of the New York City Housing Authority located between West 25th and 27th Streets and Ninth and Tenth Avenues smack in the center of Chelsea, one of the city's hottest residential neighborhoods. It consists of the John Lovejoy Elliott Houses, named after the founder of the Hudson Guild, that has four 11- and 12-story buildings which accommodate over 1400 residents in 589 apartments, and the Chelsea Houses that has over 1,000 residents in 426 apartments in two 21-story buildings. They can be seen from the London Terrace co-operative apartment building at 410 West 24th Street.
"The plan," the article continued, "drew outrage from lawmakers and experts who worry advertisers would prey on the projects' low-income residents. 'Advertising always follows geography and demographics,' said Aurora Wallace, professor of media studies at New York University, who said the Housing Authority's plan would be the first of its kind if implemented."
"'Look at low-income neighborhoods already: There is a real concentration of distinctly 'not good for you' products being advertised,' said Wallace. 'Tiffany's, let's say, probably isn't going to be interested in advertising there,'" the article continued.
The article said that "a spokeswoman at the Housing Authority, which runs 334 developments across the five boroughs, deemed the idea an 'exploratory effort.'"
The proposal sparked fears among residents that building lobbies, facades, courtyard benches or trash bins could be plastered with ads touting unhealthy products, the article said, adding that experts said that even ads featuring noncontroversial products would be a real intrusion.
Sheila Stainback of the Housing Authority told The News that "residents will be consulted throughout the process," adding that "any design and execution of an advertising program ultimately must enhance the lives of residents by including messages that are helpful and beneficial."
When asked if certain products like alcohol, fast food or the lottery would be prohibited from advertising in the city-run buildings, Stainback declined to weigh in, the article said, adding that the authority "is establishing guidelines that have not yet been finalized."
The tobacco industry is not allowed to advertise on authority property and some elected officials said they hoped a similar city-enforced ban would be placed on other products, according to the article.
The article quoted Brooklyn City Councilwoman Letitia James that "there are poor health indicators in public housing, and at a time when obesity is an epidemic, I would have a real problem with fast food."
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
