Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Penn Station: The Neighborhood That Wouldn’t Die

This week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she no longer wants to demolish the neighborhood around Penn Station. I heard the news as I was out on the streets, petitioning to get good candidates on
the ballot. I was not far from Penn Station.

It sounded so surreal that I had to play the clip multiple times. “Amtrak was rather insistent that it be this larger 780 Block. And I said, ‘I’m not going to destroy this neighborhood.’ We can do the station itself. Make it something that we are proud of without having to destroy a neighborhood in the process.” is what the Governor said.

I stood still for a long time. My inbox buzzed. The texts rolled in. Allies, advocates, neighbors were exhaling at last. Some called it a win. I called it what it was: the long-overdue burial of a bad idea.

It began on January 6, 2020. A pre-COVID era of bullish ebullience. Then Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his grand plan at a ABNY New Year luncheon. The packed room applauded the guy who prided himself, without
a once of irony, for being the next Robert Moses. The Empire Station Complex, a name suggesting Cuomo suffered from “Emperor Complex”, would bulldoze six city blocks to fund Penn Station reconstruction.

That day, as the governor’s minions gave the community and elected officials a preview, I was scarily lonely in the room questioning the rationale, the fiscal soundness, even the morality of using our blocks as an ATM, and a very uncertain at that, to build not a through-running station like London or Paris or Tokyo. No. A terminal station. A station that leads nowhere. A terminally ill plan. Or the dummest rail idea of the century.

Then, COVID hit. At the end of June, the city was dazed and off-balance. The air had the sharp, empty feeling of a summer without parades. And while we were trying to count our dead, Governor Cuomo quietly kicked off
his plan: demolish six city blocks around Penn Station to make way for ten glass towers that no one asked for, and no one could afford.

As I read the dense document prepared to justify the unjustifiable, I freaked out. That’s the technical term. I remember walking around Penn Station like a woman who had seen a ghost, or maybe an earthquake coming. I
said eminent domain. I said displacement. I said speculative real estate dressed up as transit investment. And everyone said: You’re being dramatic. It’s already a done deal. You can’t stop Albany. You can’t stop Vornado. And you certainly can’t stop Cuomo.

I was served the cyanide-laced platitudes meant to hamper community opposition. Here’s a florilege: It’s a done deal. You can’t say no to everything. We have to pick our battles. If we say Yes, we can make it better. It’s not that bad. Vornado owns the land so they will always get their way.

A bouquet of defeatism, neatly arranged for public consumption. I was also told the less platitudinal stuff: You are a lunatic, you are a monster, you are contrarian, agitator, pretentious, vicious, obnoxious. And to think—I hadn’t even raised my voice yet. Cuomo worked hard to kick me out of the room. But, you know, as they say, the rest is history.

It's now 2025. Cuomo is angling for a comeback (one can only hope he fails), but he's been out of the governor’s office—and out of direct harm’s reach— for three years. And here’s the tab: Senator Leroy Comrie, in a heroic step, dodged the GPP approval, with an assist from State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. The MSG special permit was
reduced to five years by Council Member Erik Bottcher, who keenly listened to his constituents. The station rebuild has been decoupled from the General Project Plan. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, who once sang the praises of
the real estate scheme, has quietly stepped down. Kathy Hochul has bravely said what we’ve been saying for years: the neighborhood should not be razed.

We’re still fighting. The shadow of that plan—its specter—still looms over Midtown. But the terrain has changed. The fight is no longer uphill through quicksand. It’s paved now, a little. The path to victory is wider and smoother
to the feet. And I can say this without irony or sentimentality: when we fight, we win.

Not because we always prevail. Not because justice is inevitable. But because something shifts in the world when we name what’s wrong and refuse to surrender. We make the future harder to bulldoze. We make it harder to lie.
We make it harder to forget that a neighborhood is not a blank slate, or its residents an afterthought. It’s people. It’s lives. It’s Irish pubs (Molly Wee, we see you, and we love you!) and musicians who rehearse their next gig, it’s
a church who feeds the homeless and loft buildings converted decades ago, and the sound of trains day and night.

That’s not nothing. Because it is also the promise of truly enhanced infrastructure that will finally bring the Northeast rail corridor into the 21st century.

Layla Law-Gisiko
Community Activist / Democratic District Leader AD75/A
March 23, 2025
Posted March 28, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

AQE Responds to Trump’s Attempt to Close the Department of Education

Public education advocacy group the Alliance for Quality Education issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s executive order closing the Department of Education:

“Congress—not the president—determines which agencies remain open or are shut down. This administration’s strategy is to exhaust us with repeated attacks on our values and institutions, and this is just another example,” said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari and Marina Marcou-O’Malley, Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education.

“The plan was laid out in Project 2025 long before the election; it was clear that this administration had plans to dismantle government agencies, including the Department of Education. Public schools across the country have been subjected to a relentless bombardment designed to roll back the progress made by parents, students, and educators in establishing antiracist, inclusive, truth-based education. This latest Executive Order is just another step in their agenda—unsurprising, but no less dangerous."

“We refuse to remain silent while they attack our children and attempt to divide and destabilize our schools and communities."

“The Department of Education plays a central role, one we need more now than ever before, in enforcing civil rights protections, safeguarding students from discrimination, ensuring affordable higher education, and protecting the rights of families. It also oversees policies and programs that shape our schools nationwide — including funding for K-12 schools, students with disabilities and IEPs, early education, children living in poverty, and addressing the needs of educators. The DOE helps ensure that vulnerable students—especially those in underfunded schools—receive the quality education and resources they need."

“Congress must reject Trump’s executive order to close the Department of Education. New York State has a significant role in safeguarding and supporting our communities. This is not the time for inaction. New York’s leaders must stand strong in protecting our children and our schools.”

Alliance for Quality Education
March 20, 2025
Posted March 22, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

WATCH: Disturbing Incident at Elliott-Chelsea Houses Exposes Deceptive Tactics in NYCHA Demolition Push

On Thursday, March 6, at approximately 2:30 PM, a deeply troubling incident unfolded at the Elliott-Chelsea Houses, shedding light on the deceptive tactics being used to manipulate NYCHA tenants into supporting fullscale demolition of their homes.

A group of individuals, claiming various affiliations—including with Council Member Erik Bottcher’s office and HUD—were on NYCHA grounds attempting to pressure tenants into making on-camera statements in favor of “rebuilding”—a euphemism for demolition. When pressed for identification, they initially claimed to have been hired by CM Bottcher’s office. The group later admitted they were private contractors hired by the developers.

One individual even called the police in an apparent attempt to intimidate and silence community members who questioned their presence. No officers responded, but had they arrived, they could have verified the group’s true identities.

Manipulation and Misinformation at NYCHA Developments

Fabricating Tenant Support: A contractor falsely claimed that “over 2,000 tenants” had supported demolition—a direct contradiction of the 2023 survey, which recorded only 550 supporters, and a community-led petition signed by 949 tenants opposing demolition.

False Affiliations & Deception: A woman in the group falsely claimed to work for HUD, a serious misrepresentation that calls into question the legitimacy of these outreach efforts.

Deceptive Identification: The group was actively filming tenants and passersby without properly identifying themselves or explaining their intent.

Watch the Video & Take Action

This incident is part of a larger pattern of deception and manipulation aimed at pushing a demolition agenda that NYCHA tenants overwhelmingly reject. For the past five years, residents of Elliott-Chelsea Houses have been ignored, misled, and pressured to accept a redevelopment plan they do not want.

We urge city officials, community leaders, and the public to watch the video evidence of this encounter and demand accountability. We call on NYCHA and its development partners to immediately halt these misleading PR tactics and engage in a transparent, tenant-driven process.

This community will not be silenced.

COPY & PASTE THIS LINK TO WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO - https://gmail.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7392c510eb8e94f0632f9c22b&id=8b98b45144&e=b4c25826df

FEC Tenants Against Demolition, and Celines Miranda
March 13, 2025
Posted March 22, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

NYCHA Residents and Neighbors Testify At NY City Council In Opposition To Demolition Of Public Housing, Demand More Transparency And Resident Consultation

The New York City Council Public Housing Committee held an oversight hearing on Transparency at NYCHA, where residents of the Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea developments gathered to rally on the steps of City Hall in opposition to NYCHA’s proposal to demolish their homes and hand over the majority of the land to Related Companies for luxury apartment development.

Fulton and Elliott Chelsea (FEC) Tenants Against Demolition member and Elliott Houses resident Celines Miranda called out NYCHA’s misleading engagement tactics, stating: “NYCHA partners with powerful real estate interests—Essence and Related Companies—to misinform residents with a survey that very few participated in. NYCHA claims residents support their proposal to demolish our homes, but they are ignoring a petition signed by almost a thousand residents saying NO to demolition. We’ve been making plenty of noise, and our elected officials refuse to listen. The validity of our petitions is being questioned, yet they have not questioned the validity
of a controversial survey that barely reached 550 participants.”

Joined by allies and NY City Council Public Housing Committee Chair Chris Banks, residents made it clear that they will not be displaced without a fight. Banks stated that “We are demanding transparency. We are saying, NYCHA, step up to the plate, stop disappearing when these conversions are taking place. Yes, we understand Elliott- Chelsea is being attacked—demolition is not the answer. Before we go forth with any more conversions, let's take a pause.”

Jacqueline Lara, who has been fighting this proposal since 2019 when NYCHA first proposed demolishing two buildings at Fulton Houses, emphasized the community’s determination to remain in their homes: “We deserve to live here as well, and we deserve a good apartment. Our buildings aren’t deplorable. If where we are living is deplorable, they wouldn’t be bringing new
residents in. We are here to stop the demolition of our homes. We love our homes and our community. Chelsea is a beautiful neighborhood, and we want to keep it that way.”

Renee Keitt, newly elected Residents Association President of Elliott-Chelsea Houses, emphasized that this fight goes beyond their development: "This isn’t just about Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses—this is about every tenant in public, rent3/ controlled, and rent-stabilized housing. NYCHA leaders have made it clear: this demolition model is coming citywide. Greed knows no limits. If we don’t stop them now, it won’t just be us today—it will be you tomorrow.”

Miranda stated that “The cost to demolish our buildings and rebuild is an increase of the original projected clause. They want to demolish public housing. We demand to review all documents that are relevant to this proposal. We need to see the audit done by Related/Essence that is being used to justify the demolition of are homes.”

NYCHA's Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia stated that the cost to demolish and build new buildings would be $1.7 billion. However, according to the financial presentation given to Manhattan Community Board 4, the estimated total has now risen to $1.9 billion. This growing price tag raises serious concerns about the feasibility and financial transparency of NYCHA’s demolition plans, further underscoring the need for oversight and accountability.

In a stunning revelation during the hearing, Gouveia admitted that HUD, the federal agency that has oversight over the process, has NOT granted final approval for the demolition of the Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea (FEC) campuses. This admission directly contradicts NYCHA and Related Companies’ claims that demolition and relocations will begin in just a few months. Instead, Gouveia confirmed that the project is still in the environmental review process and lacks critical federal approval.

When Committee Chair Chris Banks pressed further, asking whether HUD had approved a Section 18 application for the demolition and disposition of the FEC campus, Gouveia’s response was a clear: “No, not yet.”

This bombshell exposes the misinformation NYCHA has fed to residents, as well as the Community Board, creating a false sense of inevitability around the demolition while key approvals are still missing. Residents are demanding accountability, transparency, and an immediate halt to NYCHA’s reckless push for displacement.

NYCHA proved once again that they are indifferent to the very real struggles of their residents Carla Hollingsworth who reported being harassed and retaliated against for their legal and rightful resistance to RAD PACT takeovers of their homes and communities.

“It's an outrage to any and every New Yorker who believes in the right of public housing tenants to determine their own futures." said Lydia Andre of Chelsea Neighbors Coalition.

“Today’s hearing exposes what tenants and advocates have long known—NYCHA has failed to meet even the most basic standard of transparency required of a public agency. Despite repeated requests, it continues to withhold essential information about the Fulton Elliott-Chelsea redevelopment and its contract with Related—a nobid agreement lacking public scrutiny. This process has been marked by secrecy, and omission. New Yorkers deserve better. I applaud Chair Banks for his steadfast commitment to accountability and transparency in today’s hearing. His leadership in demanding answers from NYCHA is critical to ensuring that public housing residents are not sidelined in decisions that affect their homes and communities.” said Layla Law-Gisiko, District Leader AD75/A.

FEC Tenants Against Demolition
Contact: StopFECDemolition@gmail.com
February 28, 2025
Posted 3.9.2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Statement Against Trump Plans to Cut the Department of Education with an Executive Order

Any minute now, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).

The President does not have the power to unilaterally eliminate federal agencies - only Congress has that authority.

But with Congress under Republican control, we need to make sure our elected representatives understand the devastating consequences of dismantling the DOE, and ensure they do everything in their power to prevent it. Only Congress has the authority to eliminate or defund federal agencies, and it’s critical that they stand up for the students who need these programs now more than ever.

The DOE is central to enforcing civil rights protections of students and ensuring that students with disabilities, students with IEPs, children in early education programs, and children living in poverty have access to a quality education and all the resources they need. It protects students from discrimination, ensures schools comply with civil rights laws, expands access to affordable higher education, and safeguards the rights of students and families.

Without the DOE, these protections and supports would disappear, leaving millions of students, families, and educators with fewer resources, where historically disinvested communities are already fighting to access basic educational rights.

Take action now by sending a message to Congress, urging them to protect the DOE and defend the students who rely on it.

Thank you for standing up for the future of our students - and for all of us.

In solidarity,

Marina Marcou-O'Malley + Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari
Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education
March 6, 2025
Posted 3.9.2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

With His Betrayal of New Yorkers, Mayor Adams Must Resign

In repsonse to the U.S. Department of Justice dropping charges its a corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, public education advocacy organization the Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement:
“For the past six weeks, New Yorkers have lived in fear—children missing school, families avoiding hospitals, businesses closing their doors—all because of the Trump administration’s crackdown, policies and rhetoric. Eric Adams' willingness to fan the flames in exchange for his own personal gain is reprehensible," said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari and Marina Marcou-O'Malley, Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education.

“New Yorkers have lost whatever trust they had left in their mayor with the Trump administration’s dismissal of Adams’ corruption case. “Instead of demonstrating his innocence, Adams proven beyond all doubt his guilt—that he is willing to conspire with the Trump administration to protect himself, even if it means selling out our neighbors, families, and colleagues. He has chosen to aid and abet policies that terrorize our communities, rather than facing his charges in court.

“This is no longer a question of whether Adams, guilty or innocent of charges, is fit to govern. It is about the undeniable certainty of his betrayal of the people of this city. With no credibility left and no trust from those he was elected to serve, Mayor Adams must resign.”

Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari and Marina Marcou-
O’Malley, Co-Executive Directors of the Alliance for Quality Education
February 14, 2025

Posted February 16, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Open Letter regarding issues with NYPD Enforcement of Parking Laws particularly as it relates to Illegal Parking in front of Fire Hydrants

Dear Mayor Adams,

The Ozone Park Residents Block Association is writing to bring urgent attention to an ongoing issue that has led to a tragic event in the Brooklyn community. We request an immediate response and action from your office, as well as from the NYC Council.

On the night of Sunday, February 9, 2025, a fire broke out at 501 80th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11209. Over 60 emergency personnel and firefighters were deployed to the scene, where two vehicles were found blocking a nearby fire hydrant. This obstruction significantly delayed the firefighting response, and tragically, a 37-year-old man was found dead at the scene. While the exact cause of death has not yet been determined, it is crucial to acknowledge the possibility that the blocked hydrant contributed to this fatality.

This issue has become an increasingly severe problem in Ozone Park and across the city. Furthermore, it has been observed that the shortage of NYPD officers has led to slower enforcement of parking violations. Officers no longer consistently issue parking summons when they observe offenses while on patrol, and response times for 311 complaints about hydrant obstructions have been alarmingly delayed. In some cases, by the time officers arrive, the offending vehicle has already left, with no consequences for their actions. This is unacceptable, and it has now resulted in the potential loss of life.

We urge you to review the 311 data on fire hydrant complaints in our area and across the city. Our association has filed over 100 complaints regarding hydrant obstructions, yet it is evident that few of these resulted in summonses. Additionally, the time it takes for these complaints to be addressed often exceeds reasonable limits.

We are demanding that blocking a fire hydrant be treated as a more serious offense, rather than just a minor summons. Immediate action is needed to prevent further harm and ensure public safety. It is unacceptable that we must wait for fatalities to take action on something that should be a matter of common sense. The NYPD must address 311 complaints regarding blocked fire hydrants in real-time to help avoid a situation like last night.

We also request that the current 15-foot parking rule be amended. A 15-foot clearance in both directions is excessive and unreasonable. We propose that a 3-foot clearance in either direction is sufficient for the fire department to operate their hoses effectively, and would significantly reduce the likelihood of hydrants being blocked.

Lastly, we suggest the implementation of official markings on the ground, 3 feet from each hydrant, to clearly indicate that parking in this area may result in arrest. These markings would help educate the public and reinforce the seriousness of the offense.

We implore you to act swiftly to address this critical issue before another life is lost. We are counting on your leadership and the support of the NYC Council to prioritize this matter and take the necessary steps to prevent future tragedies.

Sincerely,
Sam Esposito
President, Ozone Park Residents Block Association
February 10, 2025

CC: Governor Kathy Hochul, NYS Senator Joseph Addabbo (15), NYS Senator James Sanders (10), NYS Senate Public Safety Committee, Senator Jesse Arreguin-Chair-(7), Senator Kelly Seyarto-Vice Chair-(32), Senator Anna Caballero (14), Senator Lena Gonzalez (33), Senator Sasha Renee Perez (25), Senator Scott Wiener (11), NYS Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato (23), Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. NYC Council Member Adrienne Adams (28), NYC Council Member Lynn Schulman (29), NYC Council Public Safety Committee, Yusef Salaam (9), Christopher Marte (1), Carlina Rivera (2), Diana Ayala (8), Carmen De La Rosa (10), Althea Stevens (16), Tiffany Caban (22), Robert Holden (30), Joann Ariola (32), Chi Osse (36), Rita Joseph (40), Queens Community Board 9, Queens Community Board 10, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker, Associated Press for release

Editor's Note. We'll have more on this important topic in the coming months. This problem is afflicting Ozone Park as well as many other neighborhoods in the city. As for shortening the space required in front of the hydrants, I believe the thinking for the current length requirement is to enable the fire truck to move into the open slot by the hydrant so that the fire truck doesn't block traffic on the street.

Posted February 16, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Testimony of Monica Blum, President of the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District, to the New York City Department of Sanitation regarding the proposed new section, 1-12, in Section 1, Chapter 1 of Title 16 in the Rules of the City of New York pertaining to the

"Improper Placement of Refuse and Recycling for Department Collection"

My name is Monica Blum and I am founding president of the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District which has an almost 30-year history of enthusiastically supporting every single DSNY initiative and partnering with DSNY. Almost 40% of our budget is dedicated to sanitation. While I appreciate DSNY’s effort to seek our feedback, I am dismayed and disheartened by the punitive nature of these rules. I can’t believe that DSNY is threatening to fine and punish business improvement districts and other partners for helping DSNY do its job.

As per our District Plan approved by the City Council, and our contract with SBS, we supplement City sanitation services across 84 block faces. The language is clear – we supplement what DSNY does. We don’t replace City services. Our neighborhood includes Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Shops at Columbus Circle and has a very large residential population and attracts a huge number of tourists. The fines and the rules are ill advised and make no sense. This is public trash that would otherwise be all over the place.

The former Sanitation Commissioner said that the goal was to bring BIDs in line with other businesses and residential buildings. Herein lies a major flaw in the reasoning behind these proposed rules. We are not retail businesses or residential buildings. We are private non-profit organizations, and we are a critical public-private partnership that helps DSNY keep New York City clean. These rules run counter to the reason business improvement districts were created in the first place and undermine our core missions.

In 2022, we were among the first to apply for DSNY’s Pilot program through the Clean Curbs initiative and installed two 5-module Citibin units with site approval from DOT. At that time, DSNY reimbursed us for the cost of the two Citibins. Our goal was, and remains, totally in sync with the City’s -- getting the piles of bags full of public trash off our corners and sidewalks. We were pleased with our first two Citibins; unfortunately, the program was suspended until last spring when we immediately applied to install additional Citibins. We now have a total of six 5-unit modules which DSNY services daily. We need two more but finding locations is difficult.

I respectfully request that DSNY rethink and rescind these punitive rules, and work with us to come up with a plan that recognizes that business improvement districts are trusted and necessary partners. If the rules are to be implemented, we are recommending that they codify a number of situations/conditions that should not be left to agency discretion as leaders will inevitably change:

1. Eliminate language that fines BIDs. We believe that it is inappropriate and counterproductive to fine business improvement districts for helping DSNY keep the City clean. This sounds like an idea that came from OMB’s revenue side.

2. The rules are silent on extenuating or exigent circumstances and must include language that addresses missed pick-ups (holidays, parades, visiting dignitaries, snow, etc) and allow for the placement of bags in front of containers or cans under those circumstances.

3. The rules should apply to other government agencies (i.e. MTA) and film companies - which leave garbage bags everywhere. We have received complaints about piles of bagged trash at 60th Street & Central Park West (MTA and Transit police).

4. The rules must insure that DOT works with DSNY, BIDs and SBS to find suitable container locations and, where possible, relocate signage to permit placement of containers. The rules must also state that DOT and DSNY are responsible for the relocation of Citibins for expedited roadway resurfacing.

5. The rules should include a funding program that would help cover the costs of containerization for all BIDs, including medium sized BIDs, who wish to apply.

Our businesses and property owners and residents are pleased with the absence of bags on the sidewalks of Lincoln Square. We appreciate the support of Chief Lettera and Superintendent Quinn and his staff at Manhattan District 7. Currently, we have a system in place that addresses missed pick-ups that works for now, but who knows what will happen when new leaders take the helm as inevitably will happen.

We support DSNY’s efforts and are doing our absolute best to comply with this new program. Our mission, and that of all business improvements districts, is to supplement City services, not to replace them. This rule imposes an unfunded mandate that punishes and penalizes business improvement districts for providing supplemental services that help DSNY keep the City clean. This is why BIDs were created. These proposed rules violate the spirit of collaboration and the foundation that supports our public-private partnerships.

Thank you for your consideration and for the opportunity to testify.

Monica Blum
President, Lincoln Square BID
February 10, 2025

Posted February 16, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

NYCHA Demolition Project Exposed as Costlier, Lengthier, and Unfair to Chelsea Community

At last night’s Manhattan Community Board 4 Land Use Committee meeting [on December 16, 2024], a stunning revelation emerged regarding NYCHA’s proposed demolition of Chelsea public housing. NYCHA and its partner, Related
Companies, and Essence (Development Partners) have promoted this plan for over a year, claiming it as the most effective path forward. However, M-CB4 member David Holowka underscored cost estimates that cast doubt on this narrative.

Holowka noted that demolition and redevelopment are most recently estimated at $1.98 billion, $836 million higher than Related, Essence and NYCHA’s own 2022 renovation estimate of $1.144 billion which was said to equal the cost of
replacement, triggering the current demolition-based plan.

The discussion also established that demolition would not only be more expensive but would take significantly longer. M-CB4 Housing, Health & Human Services Committee chair Joe Restuccia pressed NYCHA, Related and Essence representatives, confirming that the demolition and mixed-income redevelopment timeline is much lengthier compared to a renovation. This directly contradicts the narrative NYCHA, Related and Essence have pushed to tenants and the public for the past year.

Even more troubling, it was disclosed that revenue generated from land leases may not be needed to build the replacement buildings and furthermore the proposed mixed-income development revenue would not be reinvested into the Chelsea community. At the same time, the Chelsea community would be asked to bear the impact of a large upzoning. NYCHA also revealed that they would have full discretion to allocate the funds anywhere in the city, leaving Chelsea tenants and the neighborhood without direct benefit.

Longtime tenant leader Renee Keitt delivered a powerful statement at the meeting, calling for NYCHA, Related, Essence and M-CB4 to abandon the demolition project. Keitt said “We are people, we are not [real-estate] to be leveraged”. She urged the parties involved to prioritize the needs of current tenants over corporate interests.
The M-CB4 Land Use Committee revelations have brought new urgency to the debate surrounding Chelsea’s public-housing future. Questions about costs, delays, and fairness remain unanswered, and last night’s meeting laid bare a truth that many tenants have suspected all along: the demolition plan prioritizes profit and land acquisition over people and community.

Renee Keitt
FEC (Fulton Elliott Chelsea ) Tenants Against Demolition
December 17, 2024
Email - stopfecdemolition@gmail.com

Posted February 16, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s Statement on Governor Hochul’s Overnight Policing Initiative on NYC Transit

Governor Hochul’s decision to deploy police officers on every train from 9 PM to 5 AM is a misguided approach to transit safety. Ensuring safety for all transit riders is critical, but increasing police presence is not the solution our system or communities deserve.

Our transit system needs proactive investments in infrastructure, staff, and social supports—not hundreds of millions of dollars funneled into policing, which cannot resolve the wide range of challenges riders face daily. Safety must come through ensuring fairness for everyone, making the system work for all users, and focusing on preventing problems before they arise, instead of continually relying on police to respond, which isn’t always effective.

Policing has repeatedly proven to be reactive rather than preventive, addressing harm after it occurs– if at all. Just months ago, a tragic subway incident resulted in four people being shot, including an officer, showing the limitations of relying on police enforcement to create more equitable and safe spaces. This approach also risks further criminalizing poverty and vulnerable riders rather than tending to the root causes of crime, such as housing, inadequate mental health, and social services. 

The timing of this decision is also troubling. President Trump’s comments about “giving NYPD their authority back” and his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords, again, serve as stark reminders of the dangers of regressive policies that undermine justice and climate progress. New York must lead with solutions rooted in equity, sustainability, and community care, not reactionary measures that perpetuate more harm.

Safe, equitable, and sustainable transit is possible. Governor Hochul’s plan is not the solution.

Laura Waxman
Communications Associate
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
laura@tstc.org, @Tri_State

Posted February 3, 2025

Foundation Aid

“The Governor’s proposed changes to Foundation Aid have mixed impact on different school districts. Shifting the poverty measures to those that more accurately capture students’ realities is one we welcome, though that change cannot be made in a vacuum. If Governor Hochul’s changes are enacted, New York City schools will see their expected Foundation Aid increase cut almost in half, a loss that is unacceptable and is sure to have an impact on students. At the same time, many other high need school districts in other parts of the state would receive a higher-than-expected increase under the Governor’s proposed formula update, a very welcome adjustment. We cannot allow the budget to jeopardize the well being of some students. We must find a way to make changes to the Foundation Aid formula in a way that captures the complex reality of each school district without negatively impacting any district.

Child Care

“Governor Hochul has misread the nature of the child care crisis: solving it simply starts with investments in the workforce to create more access for families. Without investments in the workforce, there will not be enough staff for the centers she wants to build. She will not be able to create a substitute pool without paying our existing educators a living wage. More programs will close and more families will be left out. 

“Until the Governor is ready to seriously transform compensation for child care educators, greater access for families and affordability will continue to be out of reach. The enacted budget must include $1.2 billion investment in raising the wages of child care educators.

Revenues

“Extending the Millionaires Tax without asking the ultra wealthy and corporations — those who have profited tremendously since the pandemic — to pay what they owe, will leave the state vulnerable to the inequitable whims of the federal government. We can and should be raising more revenue for the state budget to invest in programs that benefit our communities.

“Offering tax cuts that will make minimal individual difference when spread across the millions of families that would receive them is not going to have the impact needed. That revenue would do more if we invested it in public schools, child care workers, and other community needs.”

Alliance for Quality Education
January 21, 2025
Posted January 27, 2025

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

“Operation Padlock to Protect” — How New York City is Taking Action to Shut Down Illegal Smoke and Cannabis Shops

When we came to office two years ago, we had a clear vision: protect public safety, rebuild our economy, and make this city more livable for hardworking New Yorkers.  But the increase of unlicensed smoke and cannabis shops across the five boroughs is one of the biggest quality-of-life issues facing our city. That’s why now that we have been granted the authority, we’re taking action against unlicensed smoke and cannabis shops, while still supporting those that have played by the rules.

Illegal businesses prey on and target our most vulnerable, including children, selling dangerous, counterfeit products, and creating eyesores across our city. Illegal smoke and cannabis shops stand in the way of the legal cannabis market, taking money out of the registers of small business owners trying to earn a living, many of whom are formerly justice-involved. To help the emerging legal cannabis economy and protect our streets, we must permanently shut down these illegal storefronts and their unlawful business practices.

That’s exactly what “Operation Padlock to Protect” will do. The multi-agency operation is the start of a five-borough strategic plan — that will accelerate in the coming weeks — to shut down even more unlicensed smoke and cannabis shops in the City of New York. Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul and our partners in the state Legislature, New York City can now use the full force of the law to padlock and protect our streets. With these new enforcement powers and legal authority granted by the state, we are making it clear that any operator acting illegally will face swift consequences as we protect our city’s children, improve quality of life, and facilitate a safe and thriving legal cannabis market.

Operation Padlock to Protect is bringing together the New York City Sheriff’s Office, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection in partnership as the agencies padlock these illegal and unlicensed shops. Businesses that operate near a church or school, sell to minors, or have gotten customers sick in the past can now see their doors sealed and padlocked that very same day.

Prior to securing these powers from the state, we could only use the limited tools available to us to protect children and crack down on these illegal stores. Our interagency Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force was able to conduct limited enforcement against unlicensed establishments, but we were still able to conduct over 46,000 inspections, collect over $18 million dollars in fines, issue 17,000 summonses, and close down 160 illegal businesses. Real numbers showing the real impact of our interagency efforts.

The legal cannabis industry offers a once-in-a-generation chance for those disproportionately impacted by the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ to build wealth, especially in our Black and Brown communities. For too long, these communities faced high rates of drug-related incarceration and were denied economic opportunities. But thanks to the equitable, legal cannabis industry, they have the chance to get in on the industry from the ground up and our administration wants to ensure that this emerging economy has a chance to burn bright in our city.

Those who flout the cannabis laws and regulations are robbing the very communities that are finally on the cusp of benefiting from a just and equitable system. These new enforcement powers make it clear: if you operate an illegal smoke shop, you will be shut down.

We are going to continue to protect our city’s children, improve quality of life, and facilitate a safe and thriving legal cannabis market in New York City.

Mayor Adams
City Hall
May 13, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Ineffective Tax Break for Wealthy, Gets More Generous, & Gets New Name

Dear Editor,

A hot minute ago, in a galaxy not that far, far away that we call Albany, the state just passed a budget. There, the real estate tax break 421-a is better known than R2D2, but not as cute. Discontinued in 2022 because it was deemed ineffective, it is now revived under a new code name. Please let me introduce you to 485-x. More or less the same as the old tax incentive, only more generous.

The program will offer a lavish tax abatement to NYC developers who chose to set aside 20 to 30 % of their rental units for low-income renters. The units would be set aside for 30 years. It is unclear how many units of housing it will produce, or what exact level of affordability it will contain, as most of it remains at the discretion of developers. The M-Word (Mandatory) is not to be uttered in this Empire State!

Housing has been the talk of the town lately, with a narrative strongly anchored in the theory that housing abundance is the only serious solution. The housing crisis is pinned to the lack of supply, a discourse pushed by both state and city legislators. The theory, and the solution being offered, lack nuance: increase supply, problem solved. It’s Econ 101, the theory goes. Data tells a different story. In NYC, population has increased by 18% since. The number of dwelling units have increased by 64% in the same time span. The theory falls short. The economic mechanisms that rule housing markets are much more complex than the simplistic supply/demand dichotomy. Interest rates, land valuation are critical factors to name a few. It's also crucial to acknowledge that the housing market isn't a monolith; rather, it comprises various submarkets, each influenced by its own unique dynamics.To those who claim that housing supply and demand theory is Econ 101, I urge them to take Econ 102.

A couple of months ago, I sat down with Mary Brosnahan. Mary, the former President and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless, is one of the sharpest minds when it comes to discussing housing.Take a listen to our lively conversation, as Mary has Carte Blanche to talk about housing, homelessness and proven solutions to vexingly complicated problems. 

About Carte Blanche

Carte Blanche isn't just another talk show; it's a platform for long-format, in-depth interviews that give our guests Carte Blanche to share their views. I'm passionate about sparking thought-provoking conversations that offer a deeper understanding of issues relevant to our lives as New Yorkers. 

Watch the replays on-demand.

• Channel: MNN, Spectrum Channel 1993, MNNHD, and Carte Blanche YouTube Channel

For more information and to catch the latest episodes, be sure to tune in to the Carte Blanche website and our social media channels.

About MNN: Established in 1992, Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) is a media learning, production, and distribution hub that promotes creative expression, independent voices, and community engagement. Operating two state-of-the-art media production facilities in Manhattan, MNN reaches 400,000 cable subscribers in the borough and is available in various states and countries through live streams and online archives.

Layla Law-Gisiko
Executive Producer & Host Carte Blanche
April 22, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

An Update on QueensLink Funding

After months of hard work, the New York State budget is completed, and we are disappointed to announce that it did NOT include any funding for QueensLink. While this is certainly not the outcome for which we hoped, the QueensLink team is profoundly thankful for the incredible outpouring of support throughout the budget process. We made tremendous progress over these last few months, with over 14,000 letters and countless phone calls made to state leadership. Doubters have often claimed that neighborhoods in central Queens never wanted rail restoration, but we have shown that this is demonstrably false. QueensLink has only grown stronger with all of your support.

We were able to make some small victories along the way. In the preliminary negotiations, the NY State Senate One-House Budget did include QueensLink funding. We also gained ground on the federal level, with a recommendation for federal funding from Congresswoman Grace Meng’s office.

The demand for better transit in Queens will only intensify in the coming years. With new developments like Innovation QNS, the Resorts World casino expansion, JFK Airport expansion, and new housing from Queens Blvd to the Rockaways, only a project like QueensLink can solve the transportation problems we face today and into the future. We are working with our allies in the City Council to secure funding for an economic study that will show what Queens and New York City have to gain from an investment like the QueensLink. Some of our leaders have truly taken this challenge head-on, and we would like to thank the following elected officials for their dedicated work:

NY Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato

NY Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson

NY Assemblymember Ron Kim

NY Assemblymember Jessica Gonzales-Rojas

NY Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani

NY Assemblymember Juan Ardila

NY Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi

NY State Senator James Sanders Jr

NY State Senator Joseph Addabbo

NY State Senator Leroy Comrie

NY State Senator Kristen Gonzalez

NY State Senator Julia Salazar

NY State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal

NY State Senator Jessica Ramos

Going forward, we’re still focused on other opportunities to acquire funding for an Environmental Impact Statement. We’ll also be fighting Mayor Adams’ Queensway park so that it does not block future rail reactivation. In Parks Dept. meetings, residents have spoken up to make sure that the city knows how important transit is on this corridor. We look forward to the day when the Rockaway Beach Branch will support all forms of sustainable transportation; walking, biking, and rail.

To get involved and help us pursue this agenda, please copy & paste this link - https://thequeenslink.org/get-involved/

The QueensLink Team
April 22, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

New York City’s Accomplishments

Halfway through our first term, it is time to look back on and celebrate all we have accomplished together.

Four years after COVID-19 forced our city to a standstill, New York is back. With crime down, jobs up, a historic boom in tourism, and an economy firing on all cylinders, we are having one of our best years ever.

Even for a city as resilient as New York, recovering from the pandemic was no simple task. But with strategic thinking and supportive programs, we created the right conditions for the economy to flourish and for New Yorkers to succeed.

Over the past two years, we not only recovered all of the private-sector jobs lost during the pandemic but set the all-time record for the highest number of total jobs in our city’s history. We have raised wages for working people — including our municipal workers, delivery workers, for-hire drivers, and non-profit workers. We have negotiated contracts with 95 percent of the unionized city workforce, including 100 percent of the city’s uniformed workforce, to give our public servants the pay and benefits they deserve. And we are not stopping there — we are bringing jobs directly to the people with our “Jobs NYC” initiative, connecting New Yorkers with well-paying job opportunities in both the public and private sectors at hiring halls across the five boroughs.

In addition to the robust economic growth we are seeing, we are helping more New Yorkers connect with affordable housing. Thanks to our partners in Albany, the state budget this year delivers EVERY single piece of the housing agenda we have been fighting for, giving us the tools to build the affordable housing New Yorkers need and deserve. These new programs and incentives will get us closer to our moonshot goal of building 500,000new units of housing in the next 10 years.

We have also launched major legacy projects, including the city’s largest all-affordable housing project in Willets Point, Queens. This project will transform an entire neighborhood by building 2,500 units of housing and the city’s first-ever soccer stadium, so 25,000 fans can go crazy when the New York City Football Club brings home another trophy.

And just last week, I was proud to announce another dramatic new addition to our city’s skyline— a new 62-story office tower in Midtown.  This building, alone, will house 6,000 workers, and it will be the New York City headquarters of one of our leading financial firms, Citadel and Citadel Securities.

There is much more to come in Midtown Manhattan, including our “Broadway Vision” plan to create new public spaces and make streets safer between Madison and Herald Squares, as well as a $10 billion expansion of the Midtown Bus Terminal.

We are also re-imagining our city’s most famous retail mecca for the first time in over century, with plans to create a pedestrian-focused boulevard that will welcome more New Yorkers and visitors to Fifth Avenue. This plan will create more green space for our city and burnish the glamour of the midtown district as the world’s ultimate shopping destination.

These are big, visionary public projects that will define our city for generations to come. We’re investing in our city, our future, and every hardworking New Yorker who loves this town.

We achieved all this by focusing on the fundamentals, especially when it comes to protecting public safety. This year, crime is down across the five boroughs, with month after month decreases. In the past year, homicides and shootings have plummeted by double digits — that’s after they dropped by double digits last year and after they dropped by double digits in 2022.

Transit crime was down 15 percent in February, and nearly 24 percent in March — bringing transit crime down through the end of the first quarter of this year.

But it is not just about the numbers. It is also about making sure that New Yorkers feel safe in our city and are confident that we are moving in the right direction. That is why our administration intends to invest even more in upstream solutions, creating conditions that improve outcomes for all New Yorkers — especially our young people.

We’re investing in our Fair Futures program to support kids in foster care, which has boosted college enrollment by 50 percent since we took office, and the ACS College Choice program that makes sure they can afford college when they get there.

We have also expanded our dyslexia screening programs so that EVERY child is screened for dyslexia, and that those children get the support they need to read and succeed.

We’re proud of all we have accomplished in our first two years, but we know there is so much more to do going forward. We are going to continue to make the safest big city in America even safer, expand economic opportunity for all, and improve quality of life across the five boroughs. With two years of success to guide us, we intend to keep our success story going far into the future.

Mayor Adams
City Hall
April 22, 2024

Editor's Note

See - Tax Breaks for the Wealthy Gets a New Name 4/22/24 [above] for a view that differs from the Mayor's regarding the budgeted housing tax breaks.

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

The Education Debate: Legislators Counter Executive Spending Restraint

Legislative proposals preserve current spending rather than providing transformative investments

ALBANY, NY | March 26, 2024 — The Fiscal Policy Institute released a new analysis of the education funding

debate, as legislators counter the executive budget's spending restraint.

The fiscal year 2025 executive budget attempts to curb State spending across major State-funded programs. In

doing so, the executive budget proposes restraining the growth of school aid — the State’s largest single

spending program. Further, the executive budget provides little additional support for public universities,

despite growing fiscal strain on many campuses. Executive budget proposals are discussed in greater detail in

FPI’s fiscal year 2025 annual budget briefing. The legislative budget proposals would roll back the executive

budget’s proposed cuts to school aid and provide additional support for public higher education. This funding

would preserve the current scope of New York’s education system, rather than representing transformative new

investments.

School Aid: Legislature rejects executive budget’s Foundation Aid changes

Support for local school districts is New York’s largest single spending program, accounting for more than onequarter

of State spending. After fast spending growth over the last three years, the fiscal year 2025 executive

budget aims to curb school aid spending growth. To cut spending growth, the executive budget would change

the inflation factor in the formula that determines Foundation Aid — the largest component of school aid

funding — and eliminate the formula’s hold harmless provision, which prevents a school district’s aid from

falling in any given year. These changes would reduce spending growth in fiscal year 2025 by $454 million. If

adopted, the modified inflation adjustment would have a compounding effect, restricting school further in

subsequent years.

Both the Senate and Assembly reject proposed changes to school aid, and instead propose higher school aid

funding that more than makes up for the executive budget’s proposed cuts:

• The Senate would increase State-funded school aid by $1.16 billion, above the level proposed by the executive budget. The Senate’s additional funding would guarantee school districts a minimum annual increase of 3 percent, and add $150 million for statewide universal pre-kindergarten grants and $125million for universal school meals.

• The Assembly would increase State-funded school aid by $1.02 billion above the level proposed by theexecutive budget. Like the Senate, the Assembly additional funding would guarantee school districts aminimum annual increase of 3 percent.

School aid planned by fiscal year 2024 enacted budget and fiscal year 2025 executive budget, and legislative proposals

Higher Education: Legislature proposes modest operating support to maintain services

The State’s higher education systems — the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New

York (CUNY) — both have campuses facing fiscal strain despite recent upticks in enrollment. The executive

budget makes no new investments in higher education systems, proposing to hold funding for SUNY and

CUNY flat in fiscal year 2025. Meanwhile, the governor is advancing a plan to close SUNY Downstate, a Stateoperated

hospital and medical school in Brooklyn.

Both legislative plans reject the Governor’s lack of investment with proposed operating support for SUNY and

CUNY and plan to keep SUNY Downstate open. Further, both houses propose significant expansions to the

tuition assistance program (TAP), which provides grants to students from low- and middle-income families:

1. SUNY colleges

The executive budget would hold State funding for SUNY’s four-year colleges and universities flat in fiscal year

2025. While the executive budget appears to make modest new operating support available, this funding is

offset by the expiration of one-off funding passed last year.

The Senate and Assembly would each appropriate $100 million in additional operating support for SUNY

colleges beyond the level proposed by the executive budget:

• The Senate’s $100 million appropriation would be divided among community colleges, the State operated colleges (the system’s four-year campuses), and statutory colleges (state-supported institutions housed within non-state universities, such as the specialty schools at Cornell University).

• The Assembly’s $100 million appropriation would be divided only between State-operated and statutory colleges. The Assembly proposes a separate $11 million appropriation for community colleges. For this reason, the State’s four-year campuses would benefit from greater operating support under the Assembly plan.

While these legislative proposals would increase operating support for SUNY, they would not fully bridge the

fiscal gaps faced by many campuses. An estimated 19 SUNY campuses have operating deficits collectively

totaling $138 million per year. Campuses with severe deficits — including SUNY Potsdam and Fredonia —

have entered into restructuring agreements with the SUNY central administration, eliminating degree programs

in exchange for emergency fiscal support. SUNY central administration expects this problem to worsen, with

collective annual deficits exceeding $1 billion over the next decade. While the legislative proposals are a step

in the right direction, deep, recurring funding will be necessary to shore up the SUNY system.

Finally, both the Senate and Assembly propose $670 million for capital investments. The State would be

authorized to apportion this additional capital funding among SUNY campuses.

1. SUNY Downstate

In January 2024, SUNY announced a plan to close SUNY Downstate, a teaching hospital in Brooklyn. As part

of the amended executive budget, the State committed $100 million in operating support and $300 million in

capital funding to implement a “transformation plan,” a State-developed plan to relocate certain SUNY

Downstate services to the adjacent Kings County Hospital Center, a City-supported hospital.

The Senate and Assembly both accept the executive budget’s proposed spending levels. The Senate,

however, would make the capital funding conditional on a “sustainability plan.” The sustainability plan, which

would be developed by a commission made up by executive, legislative, labor, and community appointees,

would outline a strategy for retaining SUNY Downstate’s teaching and service capacity in five core medical

practices defined by the Senate. Operating support would be used to support current services while the

sustainability plan is finalized. The Assembly budget resolution expresses support for maintaining services at

SUNY Downstate, though it does not include legislation conditioning capital funds.

Finally, both houses would add $79 million to support SUNY hospitals’ debt service, offsetting costs for the

system’s three teaching hospitals, and $150 million in capital funding for SUNY hospitals.

III. CUNY

New York City’s public higher education system faces fiscal shortfalls as the City implements multiple rounds of

across-the-board budget cuts. In its November 2023 and January 2024 budget modifications, the City

implemented cuts to CUNY totaling $40 million annually. These reductions follow cuts totaling $155 million

enacted the prior year. Despite a recent uptick in enrollment, the City appears poised to continue cutting CUNY

funding, focusing on nine campuses judged to be “colleges of concern.”

The executive budget maintains status quo support for CUNY, proposing an increase in operating support of

$65 million, or 3.3 percent. At the same time, the State proposes dramatically reducing funding for CUNY

capital projects, from $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2024 to $441 million in fiscal year 2025.

The Senate and Assembly would add an additional $67 million and $75 million, respectively, to the executive

budget’s proposed operating support. Both houses would increase capital funding to $1.0 billion, $535 million

above the executive budget level.

1. Tuition Assistance Program

New York’s tuition assistance program (TAP) provides grants to students from low- and middle-income families

to pay for tuition at colleges and universities in New York State, whether public or private. The executive budget

took a step to extend TAP by making permanent an existing tuition credit that allows TAP recipients to attend a

SUNY or CUNY school tuition free.

The Senate and Assembly would enact a more sweeping expansion of TAP, proposing, respectively, $138

million and $118 million plans to broaden the program. Both houses would increase the current income

threshold for TAP liability from $80,000 to $125,000 for dependent students and increase the minimum award

level from $500 to $1,000. The Senate would further increase the maximum TAP award by $500 to $6,125.

Both houses would expand access to TAP to part-time students in private colleges approved to be part of TAP.

Finally, each house takes differing steps to incrementally expand TAP, with the Senate expanding access for

students with disabilities and the Assembly extending the maximum duration of awards to five years.

Conclusion

Broad, well-funded school and higher education systems are essential to New York’s competitiveness. The

fiscal year 2025 executive budget attempts to curb spending growth by restricting school aid to districts across

the state and failing to address deficits at State- and City-operated public university campuses. The Senate

and Assembly instead reject the proposed executive changes to school aid and add supplemental funding

above the planned level prior to the cuts. The legislature also appropriates additional funding for the State and

City’s public university systems. While the legislative proposals do not represent transformative investments in

the State’s education system, they would shore up the precarious fiscal situations facing school and public

universities across the state.

Comparison of executive and legislative education plans.  Copy & paste this link to view the full analysis.

https://fiscalpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/One-Houses-Education-Summary-Final-1.pdf

Fiscal Policy Institute
March 26, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Community Op-Ed: Yes to Housing in God’s Backyard

When we came into office, we had a clear mission: protect public safety, rebuild our economy as quickly as possible, and make our city more livable for everyday New Yorkers. The key to livability is affordable housing. It is the bedrock on which New Yorkers can build a family, build a life, or simply continue to live in the city they love. But there is currently not enough affordable housing to meet our city’s needs.

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s 2023 Housing and Vacancy Survey showed that our city has a vacancy rate of 1.4 percent, the lowest this measurement has been since 1968. The only way to create more rental availability and lower prices is to build more housing.  To build more affordable housing, we must think creatively and bring every partner to the table. No partner has been more willing to answer the call than our faith-based organizations. They have been on the frontline of every crisis — from the COVID-19 pandemic to the asylum seeker crisis. Houses of worships have always opened their doors to those most in need. Now, they want to lend a helping hand in creating critically-needed affordable housing. However, because of outdated and antiquated zoning laws that go back generations, houses of worship have been told ‘no.’ But those days are over.

Our city must stop saying ‘no,’ and instead say ‘yes’: ‘yes’ to housing in God’s backyard.  Under our ‘City of Yes’ plan — the most pro-housing plan in our city’s history — we are using every tool at our disposal to build a little more housing in every neighborhood, including doing away with outdated zoning rules that prevent us from developing the housing we desperately need. This means giving our houses of worship the flexibility to build homes on their campuses, permitting the creation of much-needed three-to-five story buildings on large lots owned by faith-based organizations, and allowing landmarked houses of worship to permit unused land on their sites to be used for development.

These changes to our zoning rules will help faith-based groups generate revenue, add more affordable housing across the five boroughs, and develop new resources and facilities for congregations at a moment when some are struggling to make ends meet. The changes will support both everyday New Yorkers who need affordable homes as well as our communities of faith. This April, our ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ plan will enter public review and the City Council will vote on it by end of the year.

While we are doing everything we can on a city level with our ‘City of Yes’ plan, we also need the state to act. At this moment, state leaders are negotiating a budget deal in Albany. We need their deal to include a new incentive for affordable housing construction and a tax incentive for office to residential conversions. We also need the state to repeal the outdated FAR Cap, which will allow us to add more housing in residential neighborhoods, and to give New York City the power to legalize existing basement apartments so that they can meet health and safety standards. Finally, we need Albany to pass the Faith Based Affordable Housing Act, which says ‘yes’ to building affordable housing on the properties of faith institutions.

This fight is personal for me. I know what feels like to live without the security of housing because I grew up on the edge of homelessness. My siblings and I had to carry trash bags full of clothes to school because we didn’t know where we would sleep the next night. That is no way to live.

And it’s no way to live for countless New Yorkers who want to continue to live in the city they love so much. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that affordable housing was critical to our country’s future, and we know today that it is critical for the future of our city. It was Dr. King who called out discriminatory practices by landlords and realtors that kept Black Americans out of certain neighborhoods. And it was Dr. King who advocated for the Fair Housing Act, the landmark legislation that was finally passed by Congress the week after he was assassinated.

But his life’s work did not end with that bullet. We are continuing to fight for it today so that all New Yorkers can live with the dignity, security, and peace of mind that they deserve.

Mayor Adams
City Hall
March 25, 2024

Editor's Note About the City of Yes Text Amendments

We've begun tracking and researching this legislation which is about 1,200 pages long. After talking with a number of community activists, we're far less sure that this is as good a proposal as the Mayor portrays it to be. But that said, our analysis and reporting on it are not yet done, so we're reserving full judgment at this time. 

Here's a link to our reporting on the City of Yes Text Amendments Part II, which we will be updating weekly [or so] from here on in, until the NYC Council votes on it, which could be as early as April, when they take it up.  Also scroll down to a January 4, 2024 Editorial where we identify Alicia Boyd and MTOPP in Brooklyn, who've done an analysis of the City of Yes Text Amendments Part II proposal of their own. 

For further reading on City of Yes Text Amendments, see MTOPP blog
https://mtopp.org/index.php/2024/01/02/mtopp-answers-questions-on-the-city-of-yes/

MTOPP has an entire section dedicated to the City of Yes
https://mtopp.org/index.php/category/city-of-yes-text-amendments/

Be advised that these are huge zoning law changes which will strip away a lot of local input to the real estate development process, and put the authority and right to do things in the hands of the real estate developers and landowners, who are supporting this legislation, because they stand to make huge profits because of it.

Also note that while the legislation includes a whole lot of incentives to build all housing, including affordable, there are few mandates to build affordable, which seems a huge flaw in the legislation, and calls into question the selling of this legislation as a solution to affordable housing. There are also questions as to what this will do to the NYC property tax base in the long term, because - if property owners switch from commercial real estate to residential - NYC could stand to lose a huge amount of revenue, as commercial real estate brings in higher revenue than residential.

Stay tuned because these zoning law changes will affect everyone, as you will see, in our next report coming next week.

Mike Wood
Publisher
March 26, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Making it Easier for Working-Class New Yorkers to File Their Taxes and Put Money Back Into Their Pockets

New York City was built on the backs of working-class New Yorkers; people like my mother, Dorothy Mae Adams, a single mother who worked multiple jobs to support my five siblings and myself. She sacrificed everything for us, and I know that there are thousands of New Yorkers doing the same today in our city for their families.

Those are the people we have been fighting for since day one of this administration. We’ve been clear that our mission has been to deliver those working-class New Yorkers a city that protects public safety, revitalizes the economy, and is more livable.

We’ve made our city safer, created 270,000 private-sector jobs, set a first-of-its-kind minimum wage for deliveristas, and worked with our brothers and sisters in labor to get them the pay and benefits they deserve.

We have broken affordable housing records — financing the most affordable homes in city history and connecting more New Yorkers to affordable homes than any other year in our city’s history.

We drove down the cost of childcare for working parents, increased public school enrollment, boosted test scores, and revolutionized reading in our classrooms.

Jobs are up, crime is down, and our streets are cleaner, but we know the hustle is still real for so many across our city. That is why we are fighting to put money back into New Yorkers’ pockets — money they have earned and need to support their families.

We know that filing taxes can be overwhelming, so, this tax season, our administration is making it easier for New Yorkers to file.

If your family earns $85,000 or less or you make $59,000 or less as a single filer, you can get your taxes done for free with NYC Free Tax Prep. New Yorkers can file their taxes for free at any one of our NYC Tax Prep locations across the five boroughs or online at  getyourrefund.org/nyc.

Some of these locations also offer tax services for self-employed New Yorkers, including freelance workers, gig workers, and small business owners.

And a number of New York City Health + Hospitals locations are also offering free, in-person and virtual tax prep for eligible New Yorkers. Select sites offer support in Spanish, Chinese, and Bengali, and virtual tax preparation is available in Spanish as well, so New Yorkers from different backgrounds can get their taxes filed for free.

New Yorkers can schedule an appointment at a NYC Free Tax Prep location in advance at nyc.gov/taxprep and must bring identification and proof of income to their appointment. For virtual services, New Yorkers can upload their documents and meet virtually with a tax preparer to review their tax return before submission.

Free tax prep is another simple and straightforward way our administration is making sure working-class New Yorkers get their fair share, and it is the easiest way to get the maximum tax credits and the full refund you deserve.

Putting money back into your pockets is also exactly why our administration went to Albany to secure the first increase in the city’s Earned Income Tax Credit in 20 years — to ensure that New Yorkers get to keep the money that helps them pay for the essentials like bills, rent, and food.

Our administration will continue working every day to ensure working-class New Yorkers can keep their fair share, and this tax season, we’re making it easier than ever to do so.

Mayor Adams
City Hall
February 26, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Connecting Communities with Rails & Trails / New Year, New Momentum

The fight for QueensLink is reaching a crucial phase! We’re fighting on THREE fronts, while continuing our community outreach.

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Getting Every Single Trash Bag Off Our Streets

New Yorkers deserve clean streets, free of smelly trash bags and rats. That’s why we are taking the next leap forward in the Trash Revolution — our initiative to reimagine trash collection and remove every single trash bag from New York City’s streets.

When we came into office two years ago, we had a mission: Protect public safety, revitalize the economy, and make this city more livable for hardworking New Yorkers.

Our Trash Revolution is a key part of this mission, giving New Yorkers the world-class sanitation services they deserve. New Yorkers shouldn’t have to hold their noses or dodge trash mountains as they walk home.

Our administration is rejecting that status quo, and is delivering for everyday New Yorkers. We are making our streets cleaner by picking up trash more efficiently and cracking down on illegal dumping across the city.

But we are just getting started. Last week, we unveiled the prototype of a new kind of garbage truck that uses a mechanical arm to empty trash from new, on-street containers, like those you might see in European or Asian cities. This will allow us to pick up New Yorkers’ trash quicker, cleaner, and smarter — and we developed this truck in a fifth of the time experts said it would take.

We also announced the next stage of containerization: a full-scale pilot in Harlem’s Community Board 9, expanding from our initial 10-block pilot. This will be the first neighborhood in the city with zero black bags sitting on the street waiting for pickup. Rat sightings in those 10 blocks fell by more than two-thirds year-over-year. That represents real progress, real fast.

The strategies we are testing in Harlem will make a huge difference in some of our biggest and densest neighborhoods, helping us tackle mountains of black bags at the source.

Since our administration came into office, we have been making history in the fight for cleaner streets. We established later set out times for trash, and we are providing the highest level of street litter basket service ever for 23,000 baskets across our city.

By this fall, every single New Yorker in all five boroughs will have access to free, pain-free weekly curbside compost collection.

We are cracking down on illegal dumping and stepping up enforcement efforts. In fact, over the past fiscal year, we issued 24 percent more violations than the year prior.

We have containerized trash for restaurants, delis, bodegas, bars, and grocery stores. And, as of March 1, 2024, all businesses in New York City will have to put out their trash in containers. By this fall, all buildings with one to nine residential units will need to containerize their trash as well.

Here in America, New York City is leading the way, as we use proven solutions that have been adopted in cities all over the world. Add it all up, and we will already have 70 percent of New York City’s black bags off our streets by this fall. This is the most significant progress toward clean streets that New Yorkers have seen in generations.

No one thought this would be possible, but we are getting it done. As a result, New York City, which used to be known for its mean streets, will now be known for our clean streets.

Rats are moving on and moving out. And our city is becoming more livable than ever for everyday New Yorkers.

Mayor Eric Adams
City Hall
February 5, 2024

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy by Fighting for Fair Housing

This week, we celebrate the life of one of our greatest American leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This is a moment to honor his accomplishments, but it’s also an opportunity to reflect on what he fought for and to carry his legacy forward. We must find new strength to continue his work by breaking down barriers and building true equality — here in New York City, and all across this nation.

That means fighting for fair housing and building a city where working people can afford to stay and thrive. This is one of the major issues that Dr. King fought for during his lifetime and it remains urgent in 2024.

Many forget that Dr. King called out discriminatory practices by landlords and realtors who were keeping Black Americans out of certain neighborhoods. He also advocated for the Fair Housing Act to make those discriminatory practices illegal. This landmark legislation was finally passed by Congress the week after Dr. King’s assassination.

Here in New York City, we have much to be proud of about our civil rights record. But there is a dark side to our history that has yet to be reckoned with — a deep legacy of discrimination and segregation that we must dismantle in order to finally build more housing and create an equitable city.

New Yorkers are still living under zoning laws written more than 60 years ago. Many who pushed for these laws aimed to promote racial segregation. As a result of these laws, New Yorkers of color have suffered from a housing crisis for decades. Costs are too high, and too many parts of our city are “off limits” to housing opportunity. This is a direct cause of gentrification and soaring rents, and it’s driving New Yorkers away from family, community, and jobs. These outdated and unfair zoning laws must be changed, and they must be changed now.

That’s why our administration has put forward our “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal, which will promote new housing in every neighborhood. And it is why we’re calling for action in Albany this session to deliver the housing affordability New Yorkers need.

Our “City of Yes” plan delivers on the promise of the Fair Housing Act. It calls for every neighborhood to carry its fair share of the housing crisis. It will pave the way to converting unused offices into houses; help families add space for parents, children, and caregivers; and give our houses of worship the flexibility to use their property to build homes and generate income.

When we came into office two years ago, we had a mission: protect public safety, revitalize the economy, and make this city more livable for hardworking New Yorkers. Making our city more livable means building more housing for more people, especially people of color.

We delivered on that promise by creating the second-highest number of new affordable homes in one year, and the highest number of homes for formerly homeless New Yorkers. Using CityFHEPS vouchers, we have connected more New Yorkers than ever before to permanent housing, made record investments in improvements at NYCHA developments, and established the NYCHA Trust to unlock billions more for repairs.

For so many New Yorkers, this is personal. I know what feels like to live without the security of housing. I grew up on the edge of homelessness. My siblings and I had to take trash bags full of clothes to school because we didn’t know where we would sleep the next night. That’s no way to live. You cannot plan for the future if you are worried about today.

We cannot say "no" to our neighbors and our fellow New Yorkers. We must be a “City of Yes”: “yes” in my backyard, “yes” on my block, “yes” in my city. We must say “yes” to housing opportunity, and we must continue Dr. King’s legacy through action, not just words.

Together, we can build a fairer, more equitable New York City.

Brooklyn Op Eds & Opinions - BK NYC

Key Considerations Ahead of New York State's Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget

Budget Growth

• The total budget for fiscal year 2024 is $229 billion, including $123.8 billion in state funds — reflecting no growth in state spending over fiscal year 2023's $123.8 billion in state funds, or a

3% decrease after adjusting for inflation.

• Despite spending growth during the Covid pandemic, the State budget has shrunk by nearly 10% in relation to the state economy as a whole over the last 15 years due to a decade of constrained spending (as measured in relation to personal income, the state’s most important tax base).

Budget Gaps

• Future year budget gaps are routinely projected and often disappear.
• Because of conservative forecasting, in typical years, enacted budget financial plan gaps projected for the first outyear are generally 2 – 6% of general fund spending.
• The current $4.3 billion budget gap for fiscal year 2025 is within the routine range and will likely resolve without significant policy intervention.
• Routine gaps like the current FY25 gap (4.1% of general fund spending) typically reflect conservative revenue projections rather than a significant revenue shortfall.
• Budget gaps of this size have historically resolved without significant policy intervention.
• Expiring tax rates will drive a larger budget gap in fiscal year 2028.
• The fiscal year 2028 budget gap will reflect approximately $2.4 billion lost from the expiration of the top Personal Income Tax and Corporate Tax rates.
• The State can ensure future fiscal stability by making these tax rates permanent.

Economic Outlook

• New York’s economy continues its recovery from the Covid recession; however, inequality and poverty continue to rise.
• Stable tax receipts recently drove a 50% reduction of the projected budget gap for fiscal year 2025.
• The poverty rate rose to 14% in the last three years.
• The average income of the top 1% of earners in New York State is approximately $2.6 million in annual earnings, compared to just over $49,000 for the bottom 90%.

Expenditures

• The State remains on a trajectory of modest overall spending growth.
• State spending in fiscal year 2024 is $123.8 billion — on par with the level it would have been had Covid not occurred and had the budget continued to grow at an inflation-adjusted rate of 0.8% per year.

Revenue

• While fiscal year 2024 revenues will likely fall below fiscal year 2023 levels, this decline does not reflect an economic downturn, but rather a step down from last year’s capital gains-driven, above-trend revenue.
• State revenue has returned to an ordinary level of growth after a period of Covid-era surpluses.

Population Loss

• New York’s population loss poses a long-term economic challenge.
• New York’s population fell by 102,000 residents over the last year. Since 2020, the population has fallen by 533,200, or 2.7%.
• Working- and middle-class New Yorkers are leading the State’s population loss — reflecting the growing affordability crisis.
• Working- and middle-class New Yorkers are leaving the state at 4x the rate of wealthy New Yorkers.

The Fiscal Policy Institute
New York, NY
January 16, 2024
https://fiscalpolicy.org 

The Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) is an independent, nonpartisan think tank.