A new year and a new mayor have given Chinatown residents renewed hope in resolving a fight they have waged for years.
Just days after Zohran Mamdani was sworn into office, more than 100 community members stood in front of the proposed Manhattan borough-based jail site and urged the new mayor to prioritize affordable housing over building a mega-jail in Chinatown.
“Affordable housing! No new jails!” the crowd chanted as they raised handmade signs which flapped in the chilly winter wind. Behind them was the empty lot where once stood the now-demolished Manhattan Detention Complex at 124–125 White Street; the whole area was surrounded by green construction fencing…