Unlike most NYC neighborhoods, which operate through democratic representation, Battery Park City is ruled by unelected appointees of the Governor of New York, under the rubric of the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA). The BPCA is a quarter-billion dollar pork-barrel operation with 194 employees. No one is sure what most of them do. The BPCA is run by President B.J. Jones, who holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology. During the recent pandemic, nearby neighborhoods acted fast to eliminate disease vectors. BPCA instead posted inspirational banners. This intensive dose of “positive psychology,” unfortunately, did not slow the spread of the virus in BPC, which took 14 lives in the neighborhood. Even pre-COVID-19, quality of life in Battery Park City has deteriorated dramatically. Below are photos showing some of the recent changes:

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