As has been made pretty clear by now, there isn't much money in the government's coffers these days. Which means that the city is getting creative with the ways it raises cash-and that is why the New York City Housing Authority is currently exploring the pretty audacious move of putting advertisements on the 334 developments it runs across the city. You'll be shocked (shocked!) to know that not all NYCHA residents are thrilled at this prospect!
"This is where we live, we shouldn't have to see that stuff here," 50-year-old Edwin Jackson, who lives in the Gowanus Houses in Boerum Hill, told the News. More than just the advertising, folks are worried about just what kind of advertising this move could bring. "Advertising always follows geography and demographics," Aurora Wallace, NYU professor of media studies, said. "Look at low-income neighborhoods already: There is a real concentration of distinctly 'not good for you' products being advertised. Tiffany's, let's say, probably isn't going to be interested in advertising there."
And that's true—it is unlikely that you are going to see luxury car advertisements on public housing anytime soon (unless they are by a major thoroughfare). But the idea shouldn't be written off just because people don't like the theoretical ads that might go up. New York City already has a tremendous amount of visual pollution (hello CEMUSA!) and there is a good reason for it: ads make money. The blowback, considering how tricky getting this idea to move forward is going to be politically, would just be too much. Which is why the NYCHA, before selling any ad space, is working with residents on guidelines for what kinds of ads it will and will not accept. And anyway, it is highly unlikely that the NYCHA is going to let inappropriate ads start showing up if they follow through with the project.
