Abundance vs. baloney: Resorts World (with Cirrus) claims to be delivering "workforce housing... starting now!"

We hear a lot now about "abundance" and the belief that the city must do anything to get more housing.

It's a real problem--well, it's a regional problem that should be addressed with better state and tri-state leadership--but we shouldn't turn off our skepticism.

Resorts World promotion

For example, I recently got sponsored emails from two political publications, PoliticsNY.com (the Schneps Media politics vertical) and City & State, both with the subject line "Resorts World is Delivering Workforce Housing for New Yorkers, Starting Now!"

The City & State message stated:

Resorts World New York City is committed to addressing the housing crisis everyday working New Yorkers face today. To help solve the crisis, Resorts World New York City has formed a joint venture with Cirrus Workforce Housing to invest in 50,000 units of workforce housing across the five boroughs. This pact represents a major investment from Resorts World New York City, the single-largest employer of Hotel and Gaming Trades Council members, and organized labor to address the Big Apple’s growing shortage of working-class housing. With rents continuing to climb while wages struggle to keep pace, building housing powered by union labor, for union labor, is critical for keeping working families in New York City.

(Emphases added)

So if you support this, you're in favor of new homes, and if you're skeptical, you're not?

Enter, skepticism

Well, it makes sense to be skeptical.

How exactly does a plan to invest mean the housing is being delivered now?

Also, if you follow the instruction to "Learn more about how Resorts World is helping put New Yorkers into housing here," the link goes to a press release announcing an agreement with Cirrus Workforce Housing to build "up to 50,000 units of workforce housing."

(Cirrus is negotiating a new joint-venture plan to build at the Atlantic Yards site, so that firm's activities deserve extra scrutiny.)

There's a big difference between "up to 50,000 units" and 50,000 units. 

The former phrasing leaves much wiggle room. Atlantic Yards watchers know that such promises should be taken with a grain of salt.

Moreover, as I wrote in my initial coverage, the details of the agreement were not made public, including the solidity of the commitment and the precise income range of "workforce" housing.

There's no evidence to support the claim that they are "starting now!" Nor does the press release link to documents or offer a contact number for more information.

What it all means

As I wrote, Resorts World's push to appear civic-minded surely is a gambit to gain a new downstate full casino license expected to be granted by the end of the year, and Resorts World, a subsidiary of Malaysia-based Genting, already operating a "racino," has some momentum.

So maybe it's not mainly about housing.