Monserrate Paves the Way for Willets Point Plan's Passage

Hiram Monserrate, the City Councilman who had been one of the leading voices of opposition foiling Mayor Bloomberg’s redevelopment plans in Willets Point, announced yesterday that he has struck a deal with the mayor and thrown his support behind the proposal which is expected to be voted on (and will now likely pass) today. The new deal includes guarantee that one-third of the housing built to be marked "permanently affordable” for low-income families, an 850-seat school and a convention center to be built in the area, a $3 million tenant relocation fund available for area businesses and job training and placement for the 1,300 affected workers.The plan still doesn’t rule out the possibility that the city will have to invoke eminent domain. Not all of Monserrate’s constituents were happy with his announcement—some local business owners painted over his name on his campaign bus.