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EDITOR’S NOTE / Contents

JON LENTZ Senior Editor

Last summer, City & State asked every elected official in Brooklyn to tell us what the borough needs right now to make it a better place. This year, we’re taking a more forward-looking approach.

In our third annual special edition on Brooklyn, we’re envisioning the city’s most populous borough not just over the next few weeks or months but where it will be years or even decades from now.

Will Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector, a sleek streetcar along the waterfront, transform cross-borough transit? What will his affordable housing plan look like in East New York, the first neighborhood up for rezoning after key zoning changes? And apart from fanciful visions of flying cars, will Brooklyn balance its distinctive character with robust economic growth?

In fact, the future of the city is a theme that we’ll be exploring all year in our annual borough series, with upcoming stops in Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island.

But it’s appropriate that we’re kicking it off in Brooklyn. As one local lawmaker told us, “Brooklyn is the future, and the future is now.”

A SMARTER BROOKLYN

Borough President Eric Adams explains how the power of data can transform Brooklyn.

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JAKE NAUGHTON

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BREAKING THE CHAIN

New York Nonprofit Media’s Jeff Stein looks at programs that are helping ‘chained’ Orthodox Jewish women escape abusive marriages.

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STEPPING OUT

THE FUTURE OF BROOKLYN

Brooklyn lawmakers tell us about their favorite spots in Kings County to stroll, bike or get some sun.

Borough officials give their visions for its future, from jobs to housing to social justice.

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Reporter John Surico tours the route of de Blasio’s proposed streetcar and gets the lowdown on what locals think of the plan.

Bed-Stuy activist Darlene Boston tells de Blasio to stop playing games with a local school, while Colvin Grannum of the Bed-Stuy Restoration Corp. looks at using zoning to create opportunities for low-income communities.

TRACKING THE TROLLEY

NEW YORK SLANT

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EAST NEW YORK ZONING

Reporter Sarina Trangle examines how East New York residents are pushing de Blasio for stronger commitments on affordable housing.

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BACK & FORTH Sunset Park resident Jose Vincente worries what the BQX would mean for his neighbors, page 14.

A Q&A with the cover artist, Brooklyn’s Olalekan Jeyifous.

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DATA CAN HELP US BUILD SMARTER BROOKLYN OF

By ERIC L. ADAMS

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MAGAZINE

On the Cover

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April 14, 2016

BEFORE I WAS Brooklyn borough president, a state senator, or even a police officer, I was an aspiring techie.

I studied computers as a college student in the early 1980s with the goal of one day becoming a programmer. Data has long been a fascination of mine, particularly its ability to quantify the complex world around us into comprehendible patterns that reveal solutions to everyday challenges. One of my proudest achievements during my service in the New York City Police Department was my work with Commissioner Bill Bratton and the late Jack Maple as they built CompStat, a revolutionary management system that mobilized data to bring a dynamic approach to law enforcement, leading to significant reductions in crime across the five boroughs. It is my belief that we need to apply a CompStat-like tactic throughout government, assessing in real time the challenges that communities face and our deployment of resources.

My hopes for Brooklyn, a borough that reflects the greatest possibilities and gravest pitfalls facing residents of New York City, lie in our ability to best use technology as a tool for the civic good. We have made great strides in this arena by increasing the

also Heat Seek NYC, a start-up that won the 2014 NYC BigApps competition with its technology that uses sensor hardware and web applications to help landlords and tenants monitor heating during the winter months; I am working to see how we can bring this app and ones like it into buildings across the borough.

While we are developing the technology that is making smart cities come alive in 44 countries, including every continent but Antarctica, New York City has yet to get smart in implementing it in our own backyard. From Miami to Moscow, urban environments are being reimagined through data management and visualization platforms that are cutting down on long-term government costs while improving productivity across a variety of sectors. I am convinced that this industry is one that will reshape our economy and quality of life, and I am ready to get Brooklyn all-in to support their growth. I want this borough to be a leader in creating and employing technology that better monitors water and electricity usage in buildings, heating and cooling systems, as well as fire safety and accessibility. We can lead the way in developing tools to better track the threats to existing affordable housing units rather than lamenting their loss after it is too late, and we can devise solutions that revolutionize the approach to our street grid and its varied traffic patterns.

Brooklyn’s future is laid out in ones and zeroes, and we are ready with the technology to read it, shape it and deploy it better than any other municipality on the globe.

That’s what will separate us from the rest as a truly “smart city.”

Eric L. Adams is the borough president of Brooklyn.

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availability and readability of open data, which has allowed individuals and organizations to marshal machine-readable information into maps, infographics and other modalities that assist community advocacy and guide policymaking.

There is limitless potential lying in these numbers, opportunities for us to track urban challenges in a realtime fashion that will transform the delivery of essential services.

This was the potential I saw in envisioning a “BrooklynSTAT”like system for better managing our borough, and it is the potential that cities like Boston – which uses a couple dozen regularly updated metrics to better identify problems to leaders and citizens alike – have taken to the next level.

While I have worked alongside City Hall on several initiatives that can advance this strategy, I am convinced that we can go further.

The next frontier is the smart city sector, and it’s one in which Brooklyn is already laying the groundwork to be a global leader.

At its heart, this emerging field of innovation embraces a vision of urban development that securely integrates multiple data streams to better manage a city’s core assets.

Even in its infancy, this industry is not only creating high-paying jobs in our borough, it is also driving results that will produce a more environmentally sustainable future and efficient government.

Brooklyn is home to dozens of cutting-edge businesses and think tanks that are reimagining how cities function, using more accurate and real-time data to address challenges big and small.

There’s Dumbo-based company flowthings.io, which creates software that aims to make government and businesses more efficient; in 2016, Forbes ranked it as a top-10 innovative firm. There’s

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Cover by OLALEKAN JEYIFOUS Staff profiles by CELESTE SLOMAN Editorial Director Michael Johnson mjohnson@cityandstateny.com Senior Editor Jon Lentz jlentz@cityandstateny.com Managing Editor Ryan Somers rsomers@cityandstateny.com Associate Copy Editor Sam Edsill sedsill@cityandstateny.com Staff Reporters Ashley Hupfl ahupfl@cityandstateny.com Justin Sondel jsondel@cityandstateny.com Sarina Trangle strangle@cityandstateny.com Web/Engagement Editor Jeremy Unger junger@cityandstateny.com Editorial Assistant Jeff Coltin jcoltin@cityandstateny.com New York Slant Editor Nick Powell npowell@cityandstateny.com Editor-at-Large Gerson Borrero gborrero@cityandstateny.com Slant Columnists Nicole Gelinas, Alexis Grenell, Bertha Lewis Chairman Steve Farbman, President/ CEO Tom Allon tallon@cityandstateny. com, Vice President of Advertising Jim Katocin jkatocin@cityandstateny.com, Director of Sales and Events Jasmin Freeman jfreeman@cityandstateny. com, Associate Publisher Samantha Diliberti sdiliberti@cityandstateny. com, Creative Director Guillaume Federighi gfederighi@cityandstateny. com, Digital Manager Chanelle Grannum cgrannum@cityandstateny. com, Multimedia Director Bryan Terry bterry@cityandstateny.com 61 Broadway, Suite 2235 New York, NY 10006 - Editorial (212) 894-5417 editor@ cityandstateny.com, General (212) 268-0442 info@cityandstateny.com, Advertising (212) 8945422 - Copyright ©2016, City and State NY, LLC

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GREAT OUTDOORS

Once upon a time, we envisioned a future defined by claustrophobic tunnels, airlocks and swishing doors.

There weren’t any trees on the Starship Enterprise. But as time went on, we began to realize that an idyllic future would require a more sustainable focus, including a renewed appreciation for the greener things in life.

With that in mind, we asked our forward-thinking elected officials about their favorite place to spend time outdoors. Where do they like to ride a bike, toss a frisbee or just take a stroll, pondering the future?

“I ENJOY RIDING MY BIKE AROUND BROOKLYN, FINDING A NICE SPOT, AND RELAXING WITH A GOOD BOOK.” -Brooklyn Borough President ERIC ADAMS

BUSHWICK INLET PARK! ALTHOUGH IT’S NOT THE PARK WE WERE PROMISED, IT‘S A BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT PLACE WITH WONDERFUL VIEWS. - Rep. CAROLYN MALONEY

DUMBO, HANDS DOWN. THE COBBLESTONES, BRIDGES OVERHEAD AND BEAUTIFUL WATERFRONT PARK MAKE IT PERFECT FOR AN AFTERNOON STROLL OR PICNIC. -City Councilman RAFAEL ESPINAL

“ON THE BEACH IN BRIGHTON.” -Assemblyman STEVEN CYMBROWITZ “BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK’S POPUP POOL. IT’S AT RISK OF BEING ELIMINATED, SO I’M PUSHING THE CITY TO SECURE ITS FUTURE.” -State Sen. DANIEL SQUADRON “KAISER PARK IN CONEY ISLAND, WHERE I’VE SPENT TIME WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY.” -Assemblywoman PAMELA HARRIS “I LOVE WALKING WITH MY WIFE THROUGH EAST NEW YORK AND THEN DINING AT THE NEW FUSION EAST RESTAURANT.” -Assemblyman CHARLES BARRON “I REALLY ENJOY EASTERN PARKWAY DURING THE WEST INDIAN DAY PARADE.” -Assemblywoman RODNEYSE BICHOTTE “ERIE BASIN PARK, A MILE-LONG WATERFRONT PARK IN RED HOOK OVERLOOKING THE NEW YORK HARBOR.” -State Sen. VELMANETTE MONTGOMERY

MY FAVORITE OUTDOOR SPACES ARE THE BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN AND THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE – WHAT COULD BE BETTER? -Assemblywoman JO ANNE SIMON (Other fans of the botanic garden: Assemblyman PETER ABBATE, City Councilwoman LAURIE CUMBO)

OUR WATERFRONT, BY BIKE, WALKING OR THE NEW CITYWIDE FERRY, FROM ATLANTIC BASIN TO 65TH STREET. -City Councilman CARLOS MENCHACA

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“GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY AND PROSPECT PARK. IT WOULD BE WRONG TO PICK ONE OVER THE OTHER.” -Assemblyman JAMES BRENNAN

OCCASIONALLY I CAN SQUEEZE TIME IN FOR A SCHEDULED CRICKET GAME AT PAEDERGAT PARK NEAR MY HOME IN EAST FLATBUSH.

TAKING IN THE SPECTACULAR VIEWS ON THE FAMOUS CONEY ISLAND BOARDWALK. -City Councilman MARK TREYGER

“PROSPECT PARK. I RUN THERE ON THE WEEKENDS, AND I ENJOY LOOKING AT THE BEAUTIFUL PONDS AND SCENERY.” -State Sen. KEVIN PARKER (Other fans of Prospect Park: State Sen. JESSE HAMILTON, City Councilman BRAD LANDER, City Councilman MATHIEU EUGENE, Assemblywoman DIANA RICHARDSON) “THE BIKE PATH ON SHORE ROAD. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF BROOKLYN AND NATURE.” -Rep. DANIEL DONOVAN

-Assemblyman N. NICK PERRY “SHORE ROAD PARK AND THE NARROWS BOTANICAL GARDEN.” -Assemblywoman NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS “I ENJOY SPENDING TIME AT OUR LOCAL PARK, WHICH WE HAVE NAMED SONNY CARSON PARK.” -City Councilwoman INEZ BARRON “I TAKE MY KIDS TO GRAVESEND PARK. IT’S THE SAME PARK THAT I PLAYED IN WHEN I WAS A KID.” -City Councilman DAVID GREENFIELD

SHORE ROAD PARK IN BAY RIDGE. THE PARK’S MAJESTIC VIEWS ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN ALL OF GOTHAM. -City Councilman VINCENT GENTILE

AMERICAN VETERANS MEMORIAL PIER OFFERS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE MAGNIFICENT MANHATTAN SKYLINE AND THE ICONIC VERRAZANO BRIDGE. -State Sen. MARTIN GOLDEN

“FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, IT’S HERBERT VON KING PARK IN THE HEART OF MY DISTRICT.” -City Councilman ROBERT CORNEGY “MCCARREN PARK GREENMARKET IN GREENPOINT. NOTHING BEATS RONNYBROOK FARM DAIRY MILK. A 28-ACRE BUSHWICK INLET PARK WOULD BE NICE, TOO.” -State Sen. MARTIN MALAVÉ DILAN “MY FAVORITE PLACE TO SPEND TIME OUTDOORS IN BROOKLYN IS THE PICTURESQUE MONSIGNOR MCGOLRICK PARK.” -Assemblyman JOSEPH LENTOL “PITKIN AVENUE. THIS IS WHERE I WAS RAISED, AND IT FEELS GOOD TO STILL SEE SO MANY NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.” -Assemblywoman LATRICE WALKER

“SUNSET PARK AND RED HOOK OFFER THE BEST PARKS, CITY VIEWS AND RECREATION FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY.” -Assemblyman FÉLIX ORTIZ “I LIKE TO WALK AROUND GREENPOINT, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE WATERFRONT.” -City Councilman STEPHEN LEVIN “THERE ARE MANY TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT I TAKE PARTICULAR PRIDE IN THE BROOKLYN WATERFRONT GREENWAY.” -Rep. NYDIA VELAZQUEZ “THE BASKETBALL COURT AT SOUTH FIRST AND RODNEY STREET IN WILLIAMSBURG.” -City Councilman ANTONIO REYNOSO “I’M NOT OUTSIDE MUCH, BUT IF THE KNICKS HAD AN OUTDOOR COURT, HANDS DOWN, THAT WOULD BE THE WINNER.” -City Councilman JUMAANE WILLIAMS

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On the

TRAIL of BROOKLYN’S

Story by JOHN SURICO Photos by JAKE NAUGHTON

FRIENDS OF THE BROOKLYN QUEENS CONNECTOR

Q U E E N S Pulaski Bridge

Greenpoint

Ask any Brooklyn commuter about Queens, or vice versa, and they will likely lament the hardship of simply getting there.

The G train, the only subway line that goes directly between Queens and Brooklyn, has been doomed to a pathetic public image it can’t seem to shed. The bus trips are long, the transfers arduous and the roundabout routes too far-flung to even consider for a night out. Perhaps it is telling that a detour into Manhattan is all too often required to get from one to the other. Sometimes, the easiest way to travel between New York City’s two biggest boroughs – the only ones to share a land border, Marble Hill aside – is to leave them altogether.

This inter-borough division, as old as the subway system itself, is at the heart of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal to build a streetcar that would stretch from Sunset Park to Astoria. If built, the 16-mile light rail line, called the Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX), would be one of the largest public infrastructure projects in decades, paid for, as the mayor argues, by the rise in property values (read: taxes) it would usher in to affected neighborhoods. (Imagine the real estate listings: “NEW LUXURY APTS! CLOSE TO BQX!”) The times, the mayor said, demand it: “The center of gravity is shifting more and more to the outer boroughs … so we’ve got to answer that with a new kind of transportation and a new way to connect everyone.” But, like anything hotly debated in New York, the mere mention of a project this ambitious naturally evoked a question heard often in a city with seemingly a million moving parts: Can it actually work?

To find out what its residents think, we traversed Kings County, following the proposed corridor along one potential route. We started in Sunset Park, snaked through Red Hook and Brooklyn Heights, looped around the Brooklyn Navy Yard and ended in Greenpoint.

And throughout, Brooklynites offered a set of opinions as diverse as the borough itself.

Residents expressed optimism, skepticism, excitement and worry over Brooklyn’s rapid leap into the future, with the streetcar as the latest symbol that times are a-changin’.

Williamsburg Brooklyn Navy Yard Dumbo Brooklyn Heights

Gowanus

Red Hook Sunset Park

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Brooklyn Army Terminal

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S HIGH-TECH T R O L L E Y THE (POSSIBLE) VIEW FROM THE BQX

The intersection at Franklin Street and Green Street in Greenpoint.

The intersection at Hicks Street and Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights.

The intersection at Lorraine Street and Court Street in Red Hook.

The intersection at 59th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park.

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Part 1:

SUNSET PARK

59th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park.

Standing at the corner of 59th Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, where the streetcar is set to start and end, the first question that comes to mind is, frankly, “How?” The streets here are that New York City type of narrow, especially on 59th Street, where the streetcar will head toward Second Avenue. When we arrived, a bus was stopped in the middle of the road, holding cars back as it dropped students off at a school on the block.

And parking is already a hassle.

But the location does offer pluses: The intersection is lined with great eateries and businesses that define this teeming immigrant community, and is home to the 59th Street N/R subway stop – an ideal connection for streetcar passengers. This is where photographer Jake and I first followed the line’s early forays, passing the sprawling Brooklyn Army Terminal and other, more desolate, industrial areas underneath the Gowanus Expressway. There, residents’ and business owners’ top concern was something all New Yorkers can grumble about: traffic.

ALFRED SANCHEZ

Occupation: Transit worker (retired) Age: 70 Location: 59th Street and Second Avenue “They brought up the streetcar at our last community board meeting, and we were worried about parking, because there’s already not much. It seems like it’s always clogged here, and traffic isn’t limited to rush hour. When I moved here, in 1978, there were barely any cars on the streets. But things are changing – Sunset Park is starting to look like the next Park Slope, and property taxes have been going up for a while. What are you gonna do? That’s progress, I guess. It needs to happen.

It’s good for me, too, because I’m gonna sell my house soon, and move to a place where there are no cars.”

JOSE VINCENTE

Age: 54 Occupation: Locksmith Location: 47th Street and Third Avenue, underneath Gowanus Expressway “I think it’ll mess up a lot of neighborhoods. With all of these buildings and roads here, there will be a lot of discomfort before comfort. It’s like when they built highways, like the CrossBronx Expressway – they had to raze houses first, and those people eventually had to move. I think we have better things to spend money on, honestly. There’s already a ton of buses, a subway, and a highway between Queens and Brooklyn.

Unless it’s just for the upper class. ... I have a 71-story building near me that’s being built, and you know that it’s not for the poor. I think this will promote the same, and it’ll bring disruption. Either way, somebody’s gonna have to move.”

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Part 2:

GOWANUS / RED HOOK It’s no surprise that the mayor chose Pioneer Works, a startup in Red Hook, for his BQX press conference; the neighborhood quite possibly has the most to gain from the streetcar. Public transit to this Brooklyn edge is minimal, as subway access is subject to your proximity from the Smith Street F/G stop, which can be a 20- to 30-minute walk from some reaches of the neighborhood, such as the waterfront IKEA. Buses come, but sometimes infrequently, residents say, and this can lead to drawnout wait times, especially if you’re coming from other neighborhoods.

Some said that because Red Hook plays hard-to-get-to, it has an exclusive charm – untouched by the rest of the city, and therefore a haven from it all. Others disagreed.

So, when Jake and I crossed the Gowanus Canal Bridge, we found residents who were a bit more enthusiastic about the streetcar. But like the rest of their borough brethren, they still held their reservations about what it means for the neighborhood at large.

Lorraine Street and Court Street in Red Hook.

Van Brunt Street and Beard Street in Red Hook.

MARIA ESQUILIN PHIL G.

Age: 57 Occupation: Electrician (retired) Location: Lorraine Street and Court Street “It’s more about whether the community wants it – not the city. If the community is down, then I’m down. If it creates jobs and doesn’t speed up gentrification, then I’m for it. I just don’t want people to leave their homes.”

Location: Lorraine Street and Court Street “Every day, I take the B61 and the B57 from Fort Greene to here. It takes about 45 minutes altogether, and when I’m here, it comes every 10 minutes. This (streetcar) would most likely be faster than the bus, but then neighbors would be like, ‘Where can I park?’ And the bus stops wherever I like – this wouldn’t. It sounds like a nice idea, but I think I’ll keep my bus.”

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Part 3:

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS / DUMBO We made it to bustling Brooklyn Heights around lunchtime, and the streets were packed with people: tourists snapping photos in front of the Promenade, lawyers grabbing a bite to eat in between court dates, the sidewalks filled with everyone else enjoying the balmy Tuesday afternoon, with the bright Brooklyn Bridge looming in the not-so-far distance.

Once again, it was hard to envision a streetcar maneuvering through this chaos, while somehow not adding to it, as Hicks Street, one potential route through the proposed corridor, is no wider than any other street in the neighborhood. And residents felt the same. This is also a neighborhood that has long been commercialized, branded as Brooklyn, so skeptics of the change a new line of transportation could bring were less vocal. The same goes for Dumbo, as the streetcar curves around Front Street and heads east, to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and beyond.

GREG MARKMAN

Age: 47 Occupation: Owner of Heights Cafe Location: Hicks Street and Montague Street

VICTORIA TOPOLESKI

Age: 28 Occupation: Medical assistant Location: Hicks Street and Montague Street “I think the idea is poo. The traffic here is already crap, and the new Citi Bikes have been a major problem. It’d also bring more tourists, too, because I can’t imagine any New Yorker would actually ride this thing. Also, I don’t want my taxes going up! Put it somewhere where there’s nothing going on – just not here. Not this neighborhood, or anywhere where I live or work. Do it somewhere else.”

“I’m sure I’m speaking on behalf of all business owners in this neighborhood by saying that we’d love to see it happen.

But I don’t think it’s realistic, due to the high costs and the time it’d take to build it. It sounds like something that can be done right now: like, if the city ran test trolley cars or shuttles instead, to see how traffic would respond. The trolleys could be done up real well, too; something that’s futuristic, efficient, and on the cutting edge. I think that should be done first, before anything.

Also, my property taxes are already too high here. Unless I see some profit sharing, then maybe we should switch to Plan B.”

DAVID EHRENBERG

Age: 39 Occupation: President of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation Location: Brooklyn Navy Yard

Hicks Street and Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights.

“With the yard’s workforce set to double in the next five years, one of our top priorities is connecting where our employees live with where they work, and enhancing employment and transportation opportunities for the surrounding Navy Yard community.

Our newly announced shuttle system, along with the planned BQX, will continue to enable major growth of outer borough commercial hubs and by extension the continued growth of the new New York economy at the yard.”

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Part 4:

WILLIAMSBURG / GREENPOINT

Kent Avenue and North Seventh Street in Williamsburg.

ADAM BACA

The final stretch of our expedition took us along Kent Avenue, which is, arguably, the best example of the desired effect the mayor may have in mind: an all-out push to develop the shoreline, in an effort to drive up property values, commerce and everything else that rides the coattails of hyper-development. Honestly, this neighborhood is why the BQX proposal exists in the first place: The waterfront here has morphed into the most significant corridor to happen in New York since Broadway, with projects in the works all the way up the shore to Astoria.

Age: 33 Occupation: Bartender Location: Kent Avenue and Division Avenue “If this streetcar is completed, it will symbolize the full completion of the suburb of Portland, or San Francisco. I’m moving next month – my building owner sold my place, so I’m out of here. This neighborhood is already too expensive to live in, and only the ultra-rich will be able to afford it soon. But Williamsburg needs something to sustain its growth. There’s just no way it can support this many people moving here. Especially without the L.”

With clear-as-day views of Manhattan’s skyline, the shiny new BQX would fit in perfectly here, matching the modernist condos and gleaming high-rises that seem to be in a constant state of construction. Not to mention this overwhelming feeling in the air that the end is nigh: The entire neighborhood is bracing for a temporarily L-trainless future, when North Brooklyn will be effectively cut off from easy access to Manhattan for months – or years – on end.

A streetcar could be salvation here. Whether residents buy that, though, is a different story.

JOHN TRUE

Age: 33 Occupation: Bar Manager of Alameda Restaurant Location: Franklin Street and Green Street “I came from Boston, so I’m used to a streetcar. And I think it’d be great for business here. I understand the apprehension – not everyone wants to live in Williamsburg, and it might depreciate value to businesses when it’s being built, like the Second Avenue Subway has in the Upper East Side. I don’t see the city paying back those losses either.

But I think, overall, it’d be great for people to be able to easily get between Queens and Brooklyn. It’s something that’s good for the city, and good for Brooklyn.”

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS REMAINED AN ONGOING CRISIS FOR BROOKLYNITES, AS THEY SEE THEIR ONCE-AFFORDABLE NEIGHBORHOODS DISAPPEARING …

- Assemblywoman RODNEYSE BICHOTTE

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WE ARE A CITY AND A BOROUGH THAT HAS IT ALL – EXCEPT FOR AMPLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS THAT TRULY MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL PEOPLE. - City Councilwoman LAURIE CUMBO

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I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE COST OF LIVING, PARTICULARLY HOUSING, IN BROOKLYN, WHICH HAS ALREADY DISPLACED MANY FAMILIES WHO CAME HERE TO PURSUE THE AMERICAN DREAM. - U.S. Rep. YVETTE CLARKE

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BLOCK BY BLOCK, TENANTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS ARE FINDING THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE LIVING IN NORTH BROOKLYN HAS NO REGARD FOR RACE, EDUCATION, PROFESSION, RENT SUBSIDY OR NOT. - State Sen. MARTIN MALAVÉ DILAN

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LAST YEAR’S VIEWS

In last year’s borough issue, we asked every lawmaker in Brooklyn to name one thing that could make the borough better. Far and away, the most popular response was more affordable housing.

In recent years, Brooklyn has been undergoing massive changes as it surges in popularity. But many longtime residents have felt left out, pushed to the sidelines as their neighborhoods transform around them. In the following pages, City Hall reporter Sarina Trangle takes a look at one way the city is trying to address the housing crisis.

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A KEY BUILDING BLOCK FOR A BETTER BROOKLYN IS MAKING HOUSING AFFORDABLE THROUGHOUT THE BOROUGH. - Assemblyman FÉLIX ORTIZ

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THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FACING BROOKLYN TODAY IS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

- State Sen. JESSE HAMILTON

” “ THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS ...

CONTINUES TO CRUSH WORKING FAMILIES, MIDDLE-CLASS RESIDENTS, SENIOR CITIZENS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ALL ACROSS BROOKLYN. - U.S. Rep. HAKEEM JEFFRIES

- Assemblywoman DIANA RICHARDSON

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TOO MANY LONG-STANDING RESIDENTS OF BROOKLYN FEEL PUSHED TO THE MARGINS OF NEIGHBORHOODS THEY HAVE CALLED HOME FOR DECADES.

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AT THE CENTER OF THE HOUSING CRISIS IN BROOKLYN IS THE LACK OF UNITS FOR REGULAR EVERYDAY WORKING PEOPLE. - State Sen. KEVIN PARKER

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CODIFYING COMMITMENTS East New York coalition pushes mayor to put promises in zoning text

NYC PLANNING

By SARINA TRANGLE

Proposed rezoning would radically transform stretches of Atlantic Avenue.

SURROUNDED BY SUPPORTERS in Foley Square last month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated the passage of a potentially groundbreaking zoning change that requires larger residential projects to include affordable apartments, proclaiming the measure was strong enough to temper gentrification.

Since the mayor has heralded the use of zoning to require the creation of affordable housing, some Brooklynites are now pushing him to use the same strategy to lock in additional commitments in East New York, the first neighborhood that is up for rezoning under the changes.

In the wake of the City Council approving Mandatory Inclusionary Housing – the zoning measure that will pave the way for larger

residential buildings, but ensure that they include permanently affordable units – de Blasio will seek lawmakers’ approval to implement this new framework in some 15 communities. In East New York, City Hall proposes allowing taller apartment buildings as well as residences in some manufacturing areas. De Blasio’s team argues that expanding the housing stock and requiring the new buildings to include affordable homes will ease the community’s rent burden.

As the East New York plan proceeds, a group of local organizations and residents has suggested ways the city could use the zoning code to ensure a school is built, green space is created and other city pledges are heeded.

“What goes into the zoning text is

The Atlantic Avenue and Warwick Street intersection in East New York today. obviously really important because that is in place long-term regardless of the mayoral administration,” said Adrien Weibgen, an attorney with the Urban Justice Center, which is providing assistance to the coalition. “It’s the strongest longterm enforceable tool.”

The group, called the Coalition for Community Advancement: Progress for East New York/Cypress Hills, has proposed using special purpose

districts, which require developers looking to construct large residential buildings to get a certificate from the city showing that there are enough schools, health centers and other community facilities to accommodate the new tenants.

Alternatively, developers could provide an easement or restrictive declaration spelling out where these programs and services would be provided.

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The city has used special districts in Staten Island to ensure an adequate number of public school seats and in Manhattan’s Upper East Side to pave the way for the Second Avenue Subway line. The East New York group said the city could pair special districts with a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) fund, where landlords in a targeted area enter agreements to receive property tax benefits, and the amount they are billed is not directed to the city’s general fund, but is instead reserved for local needs, such as legal services for those facing eviction or financing for homeowners looking to legalize basement apartments.

The extension of the No. 7 subway line in the Far West Side was financed with such a fund.

De Blasio officials did not directly comment on the call for special zoning districts.

But the administration anticipates the East New York housing market being unable to support market rate housing for the foreseeable future, which means it expects any development projects to receive city assistance – and therefore be 100 percent affordable – but not generate the tax revenue a PILOT fund would depend on.

“The administration has set aside more than a billion dollars to meet the need for new community facilities in growing neighborhoods like East New York,” de Blasio spokesman Austin Finan said in a statement, referencing a

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neighborhood fund meant to ensure projects written into the East New York and other rezoning plans are financed upfront. “And with a 1,000seat school, parks improvements and upgrades to Atlantic Avenue in the capital, the city has made significant down payments on its commitments to infrastructure projects in East New York.”

A pledged 1,000-seat school in East New York is already in the School Construction Authority’s five-year capital plan, while improvements to a stretch of Atlantic Avenue are listed in the Department of Transportation’s project queue and the Department of Parks and Recreation has scheduled visioning sessions for promised modern play equipment.

Still, a history of poor enforcement that predates de Blasio has dogged his administration since he began peddling his housing plan.

In East New York, a couple from Williamsburg attended a community board meeting about two months ago and told a cautionary tale about the 2005-era rezoning of northern Brooklyn, according to a meeting attendee. At the time, the Bloomberg administration signed an 11-page points of agreement document, which committed to using voluntary zoning measures – rather than the mandatory approach de Blasio is taking – to create affordable housing, with the expectation of adding 3,548 such units. As of May 2013, less than 23

Space beneath the L line would be used for public gatherings and events.

“IF (WILLIAMSBURG) DIDN’T GET IT, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN EAST NEW YORK? WHAT’S DIFFERENT?” –Alicia Boyd, Brooklyn resident percent of the below-market-rate homes had materialized, according to DNAinfo. The rezoning included plans for a 28-acre park. The city spent hundreds of millions of dollars buying portions of the Bushwick Inlet Park, but it struggled to afford the rest after land values rose.

Williamsburg’s experience does not bode well for East New York, said Alicia Boyd, who attended the community board meeting and recounted the concerns raised about Bloomberg’s broken promises. “If they didn’t get it, what makes you think it’s going to happen in East New York?” said Boyd, who now lives in Central Brooklyn but has been attending meetings about the East New York proposal because her daughter’s family remains there. “What’s different?”

Before approving the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing zoning framework, which aims to spur more affordable housing, lawmakers pressed the administration on how it can guarantee future mayors will keep commitments and questioned how far $1 billion will go if spread across 15 rezoned areas. Days before the vote in March, de

Blasio wrote the council a memo noting that the Mayor’s Office of Operations would annually report how much progress has been made on initiatives tied to rezonings. He added that the Department of City Planning would launch a new unit – the Division of Capital Planning and Infrastructure – to work with budget officials on implementing rezoning plans. Public Advocate Letitia James, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and City Councilman Rafael Espinal, who represents most of the East New York area up for rezoning, have introduced legislation that would codify the tracking system suggested by the mayor. When asked how much teeth the tracking tool would give communities, Espinal said he would explore ways to strengthen it.

Bill Wilkins, who is part of the Coalition for Community Advancement, said the mayor has indicated he’s seriously studying the matter and is willing to compromise.

De Blasio told the coalition in February that he would task senior staff with examining enforcement mechanisms, which Wilkins viewed

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Careful Planning Now Will Assure New York’s Clean Energy Future

BY ROB DIFRANCESCO

Looking to our energy future, Governor Andrew Cuomo has introduced a number of proposals to meet ambitious goals for reducing carbon emissions and transform our portfolio of power sources as well as the electric grid. This set of proposals, though, hasn’t been unified within a single, coordinated plan that has realistic transitional milestones and pragmatic budgeting.

Without such a plan, the people of New York could experience more burdens than benefits.

Among the state’s diverse and overlapping initiatives are Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), which focuses on fostering distributed sources of generation and more localized grids; the New York State Energy Plan, which directs state agencies to reform state energy use and implement REV; and the Energy Highway, which calls for increased generation, particularly of cleaner power, and improved transmission to provide an additional 3,200 megawatts of power across the state.

The Governor is especially proud of the Clean Energy Standard (CES), which requires a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, 50% renewable energy use, and 23% reduction in buildings’ energy consumption from 2012 levels—all by 2030. For the CES and its parallel endeavors to succeed, the devil is in the details.

Broadway Junction would become a retail and entertainment destination. as a positive sign. “Something will come about,” Wilkins said.

“Will it be a special district? Will it be a new agency in the mayor’s administration? I think there’s a lot of ideas floating around, and as long as we have discussion on those ideas, then something will come out that is concrete.” Espinal echoed Wilkins’ assessment.

But others are less confident, particularly about whether the city’s plan will provide for locals.

More than one-third of East New York’s residents earn less than 30 percent of the metro area median income, or $23,350 for a family of three. The Mandatory Inclusionary Housing framework targets four average income levels, none of which reserves apartments for those earning less than 40 percent of the area median income – or $31,080 for a family of three.

Beyond what’s in the MIH text, the city has committed to using subsidies and other tools to ensure

half of all housing built in an East New York rezoning is affordable for current residents. So far, the city has described arrangements for 1,200 such units that it says would be ushered in by the rezoning.

Technically, the city can’t compel any developer to accept a subsidy, and the mayor’s zoning changes don’t change that.

Councilwoman Inez Barron, who represents a small portion of the East New York area up for rezoning, said she was sure the city would offer subsidies, but was less confident they would prove successful.

“That’s not to say that developers will come and want to build, especially because 421-a or something similar has not been put in place,” she said, citing the expiration of a state tax break that was once frequently used to spur the construction of mixed-income housing. “There are no guarantees in any of this.”

New York’s ratepayers already suffer from some of the highest utility bills in the nation. Therefore, to avoid even steeper costs, we must expect transparency and accountability from the agencies, generators, operators, and contractors who will be doing the work. Cost-benefit analyses should be part of the process from the outset; bidding should be an open process; and financial risk should be undertaken by private investors.

New Yorkers should also have confidence that abundant energy for our homes, communities, and businesses will be there when we need it. Developing new cleaner sources, such as renewables, will require overcoming many obstacles over the course of years or even decades before we’ll be able to rely on them for consistent power. In the meantime, our nuclear fleet has been acknowledged by the Governor as the “bridge” to the renewable future, generating baseload electricity with zero carbon emissions. If we’re to meet the goals of the CES, we’ll need to keep all these plants going—including Indian Point, which the Cuomo Administration must stop opposing and start supporting.

Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York has the potential to set a new standard for clean energy generation in America, but meeting this challenge requires clear and careful planning. Now’s the time to get it right.

About the Authour: Rob DiFrancesco is the director of the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance.

SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION

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CityAndStateNY.com

BREAKING THE CHAIN

Programs provide resources, representation for ‘chained’ Jewish women LAST DECEMBER, MENDEL Epstein, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi in Brooklyn, was convicted of conspiring to kidnap and torture men who had refused to give their wives a Jewish divorce, known as a “get.” The case – which was investigated by the FBI and resulted in a 10-year prison sentence for Epstein – generated sensational tabloid and national media coverage.

(The Daily News nicknamed Epstein “The Prodfather,” for his alleged use of a cattle prod to coerce husbands to provide a divorce.)

But lost amid the macabre details of the Epstein case was a much more widespread problem that persists in the tight-knit Orthodox communities in Williamsburg, Crown Heights, Borough Park and Flatbush: Many Orthodox Jewish women seeking to escape abusive or defunct marriages face a system that is stacked against them, sometimes trapping them as “chained women” for years on end. And as such cases have become increasingly prevalent, advocates, social services agencies and lawyers have teamed up in an effort to provide women with the resources and representation that they need.

At the core of the Jewish divorce system is the get, a divorce document that can only be provided by a husband to his wife in a Jewish court, a forum which arbitrates matrimony matters under religious law. In the case that a husband continually refuses to grant the get, despite his marriage being defunct, his wife is said to be “agunah,” or chained to him, unable to pursue remarriage or bear legitimate children within the Orthodox Jewish community.

While many Jewish scholars say that a get should never be refused once a marriage is functionally over, advocates say that, in many cases, husbands will use the get as a way to gain the upper hand in a divorce.

DYLAN FORSBERG

By JEFF STEIN from NEW YORK NONPROFIT MEDIA

Advocates say that husbands refusing to grant women a divorce is a major problem in many Orthodox Jewish communities.

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“Husbands will refuse the get and use it as a form of blackmail to extort concessions,” said Orly Kusher, staff attorney at Sanctuary for Families’ Orthodox Jewish Matrimonial Project, which recently launched due to an influx of get refusal cases. “They’ll say, ‘I won’t give you the Jewish divorce unless you give me custody of the kids, or a large sum of money – give me $30,000 and then I’ll give you the get.’

Our view here at Sanctuary – and why it ties in with our work with domestic violence victims – is that we see the refusal to give a get, in and of itself, as a form of abuse.”

According to social service workers, fear over the refusal of the get is just one of a host of conditions that can lead Orthodox women to stay in abusive relationships.

“The idea of ‘shalom bayit,’ or peace in the home, is a central tenet of Jewish marriage,” said Shoshannah Frydman, director of family violence services at the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. “Women are socialized to be mothers and homemakers, so speaking up about an abusive relationship can be seen within the community as a personal failing to uphold that peace.”

Due to the stigma attached to divorce and domestic abuse issues, Frydman says that many women fear that escaping an abusive relationship will hurt their children’s chances of finding a suitable partner during the “shidduch,” or matchmaking process that arranges marriages within the community.

“Some women will only contact us about abuse when their last child gets married off,” Frydman said. “One of our clients has two daughters who are in their 20s and are unmarried. They are begging their mother to stay in her marriage because they are afraid it will hurt their chances. But they understand why she wants to leave.”

Frydman also says that Orthodox women feel incredible societal and religious pressure to keep their families intact.

“Who will say kiddush (a Jewish prayer) over the wine? That’s seen as a male role,” Frydman said. “What is it like to have a Passover seder without a family? And then there are the very harsh financial realities: kosher food costs more; entering the workforce and supporting themselves and their children apart from their husbands is

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often extremely challenging, especially because these are often large families.”

Given these forces, Kusher says that it is important for women to have legal support early on in the matrimony process, which gives them the strongest chance of navigating the system successfully. In response to this need, the Orthodox Jewish Matrimonial Project, which Kusher heads, provides representation for Orthodox women in divorce, custody, visitation and child support hearings in both civil and Jewish courts, as well as connects clients to in-house counseling, shelter and job training services.

“Ideally, we want to have the client to come to us before she’s already been refused a get,” Kusher said. “Let’s say she’s just thinking of getting a divorce. She’s in an abusive situation.

Hopefully we can contact that client early, because if we are representing her from the beginning, we can give her the best advice and counsel for her case, as opposed to if she already tried to go to a certain Jewish court and maybe things already happened in that court and she’s bound to a certain forum, we would still advocate for her, but we can’t necessarily undo things that have already been done.”

Rabbi Shlomo Weissmann, who presides over matrimony proceedings at the Beth Din of America, a forum favored by advocates due to its more sympathetic treatment of women than other, more conservative Jewish courts, says that it’s important for women to be guided through the process by experts.

“I think that legal representation is a prudent thing to have, especially when we are arbitrating not just the get, but also child custody and financial disputes,” Weissmann said. “I would say that often women do not have a lawyer with them.”

Weissmann also says that Jewish courts need to be compassionate when women come before them.

“Our Beth Din is very cognizant of the human side of this,” Weissmann said. “There is a person who is suffering, and it requires a huge amount of sensitivities, especially with agunot. We always make sure that our decisions are based on the best interests of children and the economic realities of both members of the couple.

Women need to be treated fairly in the

outcome of financial disputes.”

The Beth Din of America, along with women’s lawyers and social services workers, also advocates that all Jewish couples sign a “halachic” (Jewish law) prenuptial agreement that they say successfully resolves the vast majority of matrimonial disputes. The agreement, which is also available as a postnuptial, is based on the obligation under Jewish law for a husband to provide food, clothing and shelter to his wife. It stipulates that if the husband refuses to give his wife a get, he will be forced to pay his wife an annual allowance, currently set at $54,750, which is enforceable in civil court. The agreement also specifies at the outset which Jewish court will decide matrimony matters in the case of a divorce.

“I want to stress the vital importance of the prenup,” Weissmann said. “If a woman has signed a halachic prenup, that document provides a clear framework for the resolution for the issue. In fact, I now know many rabbis who will not marry a couple unless they have signed the agreement.”

However, advocates say that some of the more conservative Orthodox communities, such as the community in Williamsburg, have been slow to adopt this practice.

“They are very focused on tradition and they see that as their strength,” said Keshet Starr, director of advocacy and legal strategy at the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot. “If something is seen as anti-traditional, there will be a push against it. Many members of the community have an

allergy to anything that has to do with feminism because that is seen as going against the concept of the family.”

Given this pushback, Starr stresses the importance of outreach to tightknit communities to educate women about domestic abuse and the resources that are available.

“The more insular the community, the harder it is to educate people about domestic violence,” Starr said. “There has been a lot of growth, but it’s been hard for some to recognize that it’s not just about physical abuse. In many cases, a woman wouldn’t even know to put a label on her situation because she doesn’t have that language.”

Starr also highlighted the importance of cultural competence for social workers and lawyers who are providing services to Orthodox women.

“Having places to go to where people understand you culturally is very important,” Starr said. “Sometimes if you’re going for help outside the community, you feel like you can’t share everything because outsiders will think that the community is bad.

You have to go to people who know the community from the inside.”

That’s where Kusher, and her expertise in both civil and Jewish court, come in.

“I really feel honored that I can serve my community,” Kusher said. “I am a Jewish woman, and I’m so grateful to Sanctuary for recognizing that there should be somebody who can focus on the community in a deeper way.

We can understand where clients are coming from, not just as victims, but as members of the Jewish community.”

Advocates stress cultural competence for those who work with Orthodox families.

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VISIONS of the

FUTURE Leaving Brooklyn? Fuhgeddaboudit! You’d be hard-pressed to find a group more committed to the future of the borough than its elected officials. So we reached out to all them – members of Congress, state senators, Assembly members, and even the borough president – to ask for their visions for the future of Brooklyn. We got responses from 37 of them, representing all corners of the borough from Greenpoint to Coney Island, Bay Ridge to East New York.

Their responses were as varied as Brooklynites themselves, with talk of growing manufacturing jobs, maintaining diversity, and, of course, avoiding the negative effects of gentrification. One common thread: keeping a Brooklyn that Brooklynites are proud to live in. Read on to see what they had to say.

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CityAndStateNY.com

ERIC ADAMS BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT Democrat

Brooklyn’s future must be one in which the popularity of our brand translates into prosperity for all Brooklynites. For many of our residents, realizing that promise starts with a good-paying job.

Our borough’s waterfront has historically served as the engine powering the local economy, providing jobs for generations of longshoremen and artisans. Today, the rebirth of Brooklyn is getting energized by the reactivation of coastal communities from Gerritsen Beach to Greenpoint.

Recently I convened a summit with elected officials, business owners, community-based organizations and local stakeholders to discuss our shared mission of waterfront revitalization.

Their energy, and the energy of thousands of Brooklynites seeking a path to the middle class, has laid the foundation on which I intend to launch an aggressive goal: the creation of 20,000 new waterfront jobs by 2020. In the months

ahead, I will be detailing our path forward in a robust master plan.

That plan will include support for burgeoning enterprises with the economic incentives they need to stay competitive in our marketplace. It will include job training and workforce development initiatives that place a focus on waterfront residents, especially those in public housing, as well as educational pipelines that connect students with curriculums that prepare them for emerging careers. It will include greater investment in new transportation options as well as in infrastructure enhancements for our manufacturing and shipping industries.

Our future is as bright as the lights of amusements in Coney Island – America’s playground – and as big as the dreams of innovators in DUMBO. A new tide is rolling into Brooklyn’s waterfront, a wave of opportunity that is far from reaching its crest. 

DANIEL DONOVAN

CAROLYN MALONEY

CONGRESSMAN

CONGRESSWOMAN

Republican - District 11

Democrat - District 12

My district – southern Brooklyn from Bay Ridge to Gravesend – faces some of the worst transportation challenges in the city. Southern Brooklyn’s future would be brighter with improved R train service and a more reliable mass transit network.

In Washington, I reversed a $100 million annual cut to New York City’s mass transit funding – I expect the city to dedicate some of those resources to southern Brooklyn.

I’m also focused on addressing the heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic. I was District Attorney on the other side of the bridge for 11 1/2 years, so this topic is very much a priority for me. Last month, I announced my support for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which would provide grants to the city and nonprofit centers for education, treatment and enforcement. The battle against substance abuse will be won at the local level, but the federal government has to provide the tools needed to win. It’s clear that the federal government’s response over the past decade hasn’t been enough.

By addressing these two major challenges – transportation and substance abuse – southern Brooklyn’s future looks brighter than ever. 

Brooklyn is a wonderful, beautiful, thriving part of New York undergoing major changes. Three key projects in the portion of Brooklyn I represent – Greenpoint and Williamsburg – will have broad impact on Brooklyn’s future: L train repairs, completing the conversion of the old Greenpoint Hospital into affordable housing, and completing Bushwick Inlet Park.

Proposed L train repairs are a major concern for my community. The tunnel that carries the L under the East River suffered severe flooding during Sandy, which caused damage to the already aging tunnel. Repairs must be made with input from the community on how best to mitigate the impact. Businesses and residents will suffer if the mitigation isn’t done right – all options should be on the table, and the MTA should engage with the community early so that plans can be developed with the community’s needs in mind.

When the Greenpoint Hospital closed, much of the site was developed as affordable housing, but several lots were omitted. A questionable RFP process selected an entity that couldn’t fulfill the contract. Instead of awarding the contract to the next qualified bidder, the city has decided to expand the

CityAndStateNY.com

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project and start again. I hope this time the community gets the project they deserve. Brooklyn has a dearth of affordable housing. It is a project that the community supports, and it would allow Brooklynites to find homes they can afford The up-zoning of Greenpoint and Williamsburg has brought new residents to a community that was already starved for green space. The city promised a 27.8 acre park as mitigation. It was a trade, not a gift, but so far we only have 3.5 acres of the 27.8 acres that were promised.

Completing that park will mean a better quality of life for all those who live in the area for years to come. 

JERROLD NADLER CONGRESSMAN Democrat - District 10

I am incredibly proud to have Brooklyn as part of my congressional district and to represent Brooklyn in Congress, and I continue to be excited by the wonderful advances being made and opportunities created throughout the borough. In making Brooklyn even better, I have long advocated for two key infrastructure buildouts to efficiently move goods in and around the borough, the city and the region: the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel and the Brooklyn container port. I have passionately campaigned for these projects for more than 30 years, both in the state Assembly and in Congress, in large part because of the significant benefits they will bring for Brooklyn in terms of jobs and environmental sustainability, and am very encouraged by the progress we are making with both. Constructing a Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel to reconnect the city and the region with our nation’s rail system would have huge economic and environmental value: removing as many as 1 million

trucks from city streets annually, eliminating a built-in cap on economic development, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fixing a major national security vulnerability and improving public health. Additionally, an active Brooklyn container port is imperative for the economic vitality and environmental well-being of the city and region. Having a deepwater container port centered at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT) in Sunset Park is key to ensuring that our port district overall retains its position of dominance, and south Brooklyn’s recent designation as an American Marine Highway demonstrates the importance of south Brooklyn and the nearby Red Hook Container Terminal as an essential part of our region’s shipping ecosystem. Last year, the mayor made a major commitment to redevelop the SBMT for shipping, and with continued progress there will be even greater opportunities for Brooklyn and its residents. 

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CityAndStateNY.com

MARTIN MALAVÉ DILAN

NYDIA VELAZQUEZ

STATE SENATOR

CONGRESSWOMAN

Democrat - District 18

Democrat - District 7

My vision for future Brooklyn is wholly dependent on our ability to preserve affordable housing and the character of our communities.

I can’t think of anyone that isn’t in one form or another on the front lines of this fight, either at the local, state or federal level. And it impacts all aspects of life in Brooklyn, from commerce to transit.

I’ve been working closely with tenants and owners. We’ve kept an open dialogue with the governor’s Tenant Protection Unit. But it seems that for every eviction or over-charge we right, three more spring up in its place. We need more resources, more inspectors and more investigators. That’s why I took issue with the Senate majority’s one-house budget resolution that proposed no funding for the TPU. We also need more tools at our

disposal. Landlords aren’t the problem, bad landlords are. That’s why I introduced the felony charge of intentionally sabotaging building utilities or structural elements to force protected tenants from their buildings. These are the actions of unscrupulous landlords who consider fines and penalties a part of doing business; many have collected city and state tax abatements as well. They are fleecing Brooklyn and New York taxpayers, forcing people from their homes, and they are largely undeterred.

It’s apparent that we need to take stronger action. In many instances it’s a matter of enforcing what’s already on the books and keeping tenants informed of their rights; in others it’s matter of funding and resources. 

Brooklyn has always been and will always be defined by a number of traits. It is a center of diversity where cultures from all over the world converge to create something new and unique. It is also a hotbed of entrepreneurship where new businesses are springing up and creative minds are developing new products, fueling local job growth along the way.

Brooklyn and its people have also been defined by their toughness and resilience. In the past, Brooklyn has been a home of industry and shipping before the waterfront went into tough times and disrepair. Today, we are seeing our waterfront brought back to life as ferries once again ply the waters and manufacturing returns to places like the Navy Yard, Red Hook and Sunset Park.

Likewise, we are seeing the art industry, food manufacturing hubs and professional office space blossom in Williamsburg and Bushwick. Small business growth has also taken hold in the East Williamsburg Industrial Park.

All these changes create opportunity.

However, as Brooklyn evolves, we must never leave behind the long term residents of our borough who made it so great over the years.

That means fighting to ensure we have affordable housing, transportation and other services that allow working families to continue calling Brooklyn home.

Brooklyn is changing, but its core characteristics – diversity, entrepreneurship and resilience – will continue to endure, making it one of the best places in the world. 

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MARTIN GOLDEN

JESSE HAMILTON

STATE SENATOR

STATE SENATOR

Republican - District 22

Democrat - District 20

The future for Brooklyn is one that is very bright and beyond exciting.

I see Brooklyn remaining on the cutting edge of emerging industries and creating many lucrative job opportunities. Places like the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Industry City become national models for economic success.

Brooklyn continues to rival Hollywood as our entertainment industry flourishes in a tax friendly environment. Our schools provide students with an education that prepares them for the new job market and the skills to succeed in the workplace. Our commercial, retail and residential real estate markets expand to meet the demands of our growing population.

Our transportation system is modernized, allowing Brooklynites to traverse our city expeditiously and safely. Residents who drive

over the Verrazano Bridge receive a toll discount while traffic on the Belt Parkway and Brooklyn Queens Expressway are just painful memories. The scourge of the heroin epidemic no longer takes the lives our neighbors. Law enforcement and first responders have every resource, modern equipment and latest technology needed to conduct their jobs effectively and safely.

Residents are safe to walk the streets and criminals live in fear.

The fear of terrorism subsides as our resolve strengthens. Brooklyn remains a shining example of how people from diverse backgrounds can live together peacefully and have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. We continue to live in the greatest borough, in the greatest city, in greatest nation in the world. This is not only the future I envision but for which I pray. 

I envisage an open, inclusive and welcoming Brooklyn, where people of all faiths, ethnicities, nationalities and backgrounds can live, work and achieve their ambitions – in keeping with a tradition Brooklynites have upheld for generations. My vision for the future of Brooklyn is neighborhoods where young people just starting out, low-income households, seniors and all Brooklyn families can live free from fear of being marginalized – neighborhoods where individuals and families across the income spectrum can truly flourish. I envision an opportunityrich Brooklyn, providing highquality education for our youth and fulfilling careers for our workforce.

My vision for the future of Brooklyn celebrates the work of the remarkable community-based organizations who generously serve the needs of our neighborhoods.

Teaching tech skills to young people,

keeping senior citizens engaged in community life, contributing to the public health by raising awareness and providing care – Brooklyn’s community-based organizations deliver those vital services and many more that require sustained public commitment.

I envision a future for Brooklyn that honors the police-community partnership required for safe communities. Policing and a justice system that engender confidence and community support are critical to Brooklyn’s future.

I envision a vibrant Brooklyn, continuing to celebrate the rich inheritance passed to us – whether in the form of preserving historic sites, parks, and public spaces, or through continuing to value our cultural institutions that sharpen, deepen, and magnify our understanding of our ourselves and the world. 

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CityAndStateNY.com

KEVIN PARKER

My vision for the future of Brooklyn is for it to become known as the “Shining City on The Hill” – a place where people can feel comfortable and safe raising their family. I want Brooklyn to be the beacon of opportunity and inclusion for the various cultures that constitute the fabric of the borough. I want people from all walks of life to be able to enjoy what resources our borough has to offer. I hope to see, and be pivotal in, educating Brooklynites and New Yorkers on the importance of renewable energy and the promise of green jobs to strengthen our communities. 

STATE SENATOR Democrat - District 21

DANIEL SQUADRON STATE SENATOR Democrat - District 26 Being born and raised in Brooklyn, I’ve seen how our great borough has changed and grown with time.

Brooklyn is now a world-class destination. These changes come with a new set of challenges – affordability being the most crucial. My vision for Brooklyn’s future is to continue to attract business and development, while maintaining our borough’s rich and diverse communities. 

PETER ABBATE ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 49

Transportation: Our transit system’s as crowded as ever, especially in Brooklyn neighborhoods that have seen major residential and commercial growth.

I’m pushing to put real dollars behind our MTA Capital Plan, as well as long-term funding solutions, to ensure our transit can keep up with our growth.

Affordability: While we’ve seen progress on some affordability issues and tenants’ rights issues locally, the state continues to stall.

Brooklyn’s future needs to include the rent law reforms and wage increases that have too long been stalled in Albany.

Justice Reform: The criminal justice system has a big impact in Brooklyn – my vision for Brooklyn includes the borough taking on a leadership role in reform. That includes making sure we’re restoring Brooklynites’ and New Yorkers’ right to a speedy trial by passing my legislation, Kalief’s Law.

Family Friendly: Brooklyn’s become the center of the city for young families, and government should do more to help. My vision for Brooklyn includes universal evidence-based maternal home visiting (like Nurse Family Partnership). It also includes initiatives to make raising a family easier and more affordable – like a child care advance tax deferral, flexible work schedules and paid family leave.

Parks and Open Space: Brooklyn’s growth has also highlighted the need for more parks and open space. From parks equity, which is now connecting the city’s largest conservancies to our neighborhood parks, to pushing the city to make good on its promises at Bushwick Inlet Park, to a world-class Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn has a lot of important park work going on that will hopefully drive us towards a Harbor Park, a Central Park for the center of our city. 

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VELMANETTE MONTGOMERY

Brooklyn is brimming with more than just buildings. With over one hundred languages spoken, our unique geography, history, cultural diversity and ethnic mosaic, Brooklyn represents the United Nations of our city. We also have a rich entrepreneurial and cultural institution presence across the borough: from Greenpoint and Williamsburg to Coney Island, and from Brooklyn Heights to Cypress Hills. Brooklyn represents the epitome of diversity in New York City, and I wish to preserve that medley. It is home to people in diverse communities rather than

a just borough of skyscrapers.

In order to sustain this community, we need affordable housing for lowand middle-income individuals, families and people with special needs; it is necessary to maintain a continued focus on job opportunities in waterfront industrial areas like Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn Army Terminal and Red Hook; and to support the needs of people to connect with the environment, it is important to cultivate vibrant, open spaces. While I welcome change, I continue to cherish the traditional communities created by the people of Brooklyn. 

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PAMELA HARRIS ASSEMBLYWOMAN Democrat - District 46

STEVEN CYMBROWITZ

The hardworking people of Brooklyn and the diverse backgrounds of our communities have proven the great potential of our borough when people

ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 45

Brooklyn currently has the largest senior population in the city; the Department of City Planning projects that by the year 2030, the borough will have as many as 410,000 elderly residents, a 45 percent increase since 2000. As chairman of the Assembly’s Aging Committee, I’m working to make sure that we have the resources in place to meet the future needs of this important constituency, who will undeniably continue to grow in influence as well as in numbers.

Housing is a major area of concern.

During this legislative session, we included in our one-house budget a multiyear, $150 million new affordable housing program for seniors. This is extremely important since a disproportionate number of older adults in Brooklyn live below the poverty line. I’m

also pushing hard for increased funding for naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) and Neighborhood NORCS, which enable seniors to remain in their own homes and benefit at the same time from a variety of supportive and recreational services in addition to living among a community of their peers. This idea of “aging in place,” or staying in your own home or community and living as independently as possible, is the crux of my vision for Brooklyn.

People will no longer accept being shunted aside when they grow old; today’s baby boomers and Gen X-ers, who will also reach retirement age, have every intention of remaining relevant, connected, powerful and a vital part of the communal life around them. Which is as it should be. 

JOSEPH LENTOL ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 50 At the heart of a resilient community is a diverse and vibrant atmosphere, which can be achieved by having neighborhoods with varied uses, from residential and recreational space to manufacturing and commercial space. When the Williamsburg and Greenpoint waterfront was rezoned

work together. However, the truth is that there’s still too much crime and drugs on our streets. We must not only ensure that our kids have safer streets and that guns are out of the hands of criminals but also push for meaningful criminal justice reform that protects the well-being of our families. The creation of the Special Investigations and Prosecutors Unit provides us an opportunity to restore faith in our state’s criminal justice system, and it is my hope that this will bring much-needed transparency and accountability.

However, more must be done.

We must ensure that youth are encouraged and given opportunities to make better life decisions.

Additionally, I look forward to continuing our work post-Sandy and ensuring that those devastated by the storm are back on their feet. The local small-business owner around the corner and the families still battling with their insurance companies must be helped so that our region can thrive once more. 

in 2005 one of the most crucial facets of a mixed-use community was forgotten – commercial space.

In metropolitan areas, the real estate uses of our new economy are largely based on commercial and light manufacturing. In days past, Brooklyn’s waterfront was primarily heavy manufacturing, and people lived close to their place of employment. Shipbuilders would walk to work and walk home for lunch. But times changed, and living close to your place of employment was not a top priority. However, people today, more so than ever, highly value the ability to walk to work.

Manufacturing in metropolitan areas has shifted to a new form of light innovative manufacturing.

Companies that create 3-D printers or artisanal foods are able to manufacture items in smaller footprints, leaving more room for other uses. While we must ensure that Brooklyn has much-needed commercial space to encourage a new walk to work neighborhood, we must also provide space for these new creative light manufacturing economies. 

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CHARLES BARRON ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 60

I’d like Brooklyn to be the most revolutionary borough in the history of New York City, in that we combat poverty, homelessness, mass incarceration and wealth and income inequality. In addition to that, I want us to be the cultural capital of people of African ancestry in New York City. So we could have museums and libraries and our African burial ground park, and a museum similar to the Schomburg Center in Harlem, a black cultural center in East New York, Brooklyn, that will give the true history of the people of African ancestry and their contributions to building New York and the borough of Brooklyn in general and my district. And for the people of African ancestry in Brooklyn, since the UN has called for reparations to African Americans, to raise the consciousness of Brooklyn about the human rights issue of our time, which is reparations for people of African ancestry. 

RODNEYSE BICHOTTE

JAMES BRENNAN ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 44

ASSEMBLYWOMAN Democrat - District 42 My vision is to ensure the basic needs of Brooklynites, including all of my constituents who have contributed to the blossoming of Brooklyn, so that they can continue to live comfortably and enjoy our beautiful borough without having to worry about being pushed out of their homes; and to make sure Brooklyn is a place where access to healthy food can be found in every neighborhood, where safety is ensured and where residents can earn a livable wage so they can jump-start their dreams and the dreams of their children.

With the high rates of gentrification, and with affordable housing being the number one issue, I share the mayor’s vision and plan to create more low-income and affordable

housing for residents, including the elderly population of New York City.

I want to see all Brooklynites thrive. Education should be the institution that creates fair and equitable opportunities for children to reach their full potential.

Positioning our children to compete in a global economy is crucial, which is why I have addressed STEM legislation that will help do just that. But we will not get there if funding is continuously removed and disproportionately allocated, preventing access to the civil right of a sound quality education. My vision is to restore these funds and reallocate them to high-need areas that have been deprived of this right. 

I left Manhattan in the 1970s to escape overcrowding, stress and congestion: Brooklyn was my destination. It had low-density neighborhoods and affordable, rent-stabilized housing and open space, like Prospect Park and Coney Island. Today more people are coming every day, every neighborhood is getting crowded, and you can’t find affordable housing. Somehow we have to deal with greater density and more people and keep Brooklyn livable.

The city and state need to keep the focus on preserving open space, create inexpensive housing and invest in the technology to move the subway trains on the tracks more frequently with the same level of safety. That is the challenge: to keep Brooklyn livable. 

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Building on our success in restoring B37 and X27 service to further improve transportation.

In particular, I’d like to see more focus put on accessibility for seniors and the handicapped (elevators at main subway stations), more reliable train service on the R line and fast ferries connecting Bay Ridge and southwest parts of Brooklyn with Manhattan. Also critical for residents is toll relief on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. 

NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS

N. NICK PERRY

ASSEMBLYWOMAN

ASSEMBLYMAN

Republican - District 64

Democrat - District 58

My vision for the future of Brooklyn is that it remains a place where immigrants like me, and like so many families before mine, can live, work, and raise our families while successfully pursuing the American Dream.

It is wonderful to see the building boom in the borough. It is my hope that there will be enough affordable apartments included in these buildings to allow Brooklynites, who love the borough, to maintain their residence here.

I also still retain the hope that some wise heads will get together and come up with a solution to the transportation problem.

I’m sure there are some smart traffic engineers somewhere in Brooklyn who can plan a more efficient use of our roadways to provide for a better flow of traffic to and from Downtown Brooklyn from all parts of our borough. 

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DIANA RICHARDSON ASSEMBLYWOMAN Working Families - District 43

FÉLIX ORTIZ ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 51

Brooklyn is a vibrant collection of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character. Brooklyn has become a hotspot and destination for new business, waterfront industry, commerce and cuttingedge ideas for sustainable living. In short, it is the place people want to visit when they come to New York and it is the place people seek out for not only work but for living and spending their free time. My vision for Brooklyn is to find ways to keep our children here with access to good jobs, low-income affordable housing, community centers, school-integrated health care centers and environmentally friendly ways of life that make use of our vast waterfront. Brooklyn’s

underutilized waterfront should be the focus for economic revitalization and improved access by water. This will not only reduce air pollution and traffic congestion but will have a positive impact on the health of all Brooklyn residents by alleviating some of the factors that increase asthma and respiratory ailments. Making Brooklyn business-friendly by encouraging innovation and new technology must go hand in hand with making housing developments more affordable for our lower and middle class residents. Kings County is shining bright again.

I am proud to be part of the past, present and future of Brooklyn and for all who call Brooklyn home. 

MATHIEU EUGENE CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 40 Brooklyn is a very expensive place, and it is very hard to live here due to the cost of housing … Many longtime residents are being forced out of their communities due to rent increases. We have to continue to do everything possible to make

Brooklyn has undergone an extensive facelift, and has encountered endless changes within the past decade. We’ve watched as everyday residential homes have been uprooted and replaced with high-rise condominiums. We have also seen quaint coffee shops and eateries pop up, adding a subtle hint of vibrancy to our neighborhoods.

Looking ahead, I want to see Brooklyn as a melting pot for all things cultural, financial and residential. I want working-class residents who are toiling nine to five to continue be able to afford to live within the confines of their homes and build better lives for them and their families. I want our community members to have access to financial opportunities and pour that wealth back into their neighborhoods.

Essentially, I want a Brooklyn that will continue to thrive! 

sure that hardworking people have places they can afford to live and raise their children.

Brooklyn is a great borough due in large measure to the contributions of dynamic, hardworking people, but individuals cannot continue to make Brooklyn great without maintaining their well-being. We have to make sure that we continue to provide our hospitals with the necessary resources to deliver the best medical care possible. We must also upgrade our hospitals so that they are equipped to meet the challenges of natural and man-made disasters, after having seen the effects of Hurricane Sandy and 9/11.

Youth are the future of this society, yet many are unemployed and are lacking strong skills or a solid educational foundation than can ensure them a prosperous future.

We must do everything in our power to provide to our young people with the best education possible and the skills they need to succeed in school and life, to be competitive in the workforce in the United States and anywhere else in the world. 

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VINCENT GENTILE CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 43

Brooklyn is doing well, exceptionally well; it’s going a lot of places, and people from all over the world are invited to join the renaissance.

Brooklyn is the future, and the future is now. Housing, commerce, infrastructure, and jobs are expanding rapidly in Kings County, faster than the barreling Cyclone.

I envision Brooklyn continuing its amplification as a leading metropolis, not only in New York but in the entire nation. Concerning transportation, Brooklyn will build upon its connection to all parts of the city, with the implementation of Citywide Ferry Service and the Brooklyn-Queens Connector.

Building developments will continue to rise as Brooklyn’s

population increases. The narrative of tourists will change from, “I’m visiting New York City” to “I’m going to Brooklyn!”

Does all of this change mean Brooklyn is losing its character or its neighborhood feel?

Fuhgeddaboudit! Small businesses in my district are thriving; constituents’ pride in where they’re from is soaring, and natives are raising families where they grew up – setting the foundations for generations of Brooklynites for years to come. It’s an exciting time, and I look forward to Brooklyn’s continued resurgence as a preeminent destination to live, work and spread love, because it’s the Brooklyn way. 

DAVID GREENFIELD

BRAD LANDER

CITY COUNCILMAN

CITY COUNCILMAN

Democrat - District 44

Democrat - District 39

I want to see a Brooklyn that continues to grow and thrive without losing its sense of community; a Brooklyn that welcomes newcomers but also retains the unique identity of the borough that I was born, raised and am raising my family in.

That’s why I was so proud to help lead negotiations on Mayor Bill de Blasio’s affordable housing plan, which will promote the creation of affordable housing but also respect the right of our neighborhoods to preserve the things that make them unique. I want to see a Brooklyn that has improved access to public transportation, including renewed F express service, so that someone who lives in Bensonhurst or Midwood can get to Manhattan and Brooklyn as easily as residents of Mott Haven or Astoria. I want to see a cleaner, more beautiful Brooklyn – that’s why I’ve committed to renovating every single park in my neighborhood, and it’s why I’ve sponsored the NYC Cleanup Initiative, which provides $5.3 million to clean our streets. In short, I want my children to grow up proud of the fact that they are from Brooklyn, just as I am. 

Over the past few decades, city dwellers have seen the transformative possibilities of more livable communities, with more walkable streets, better parks and open spaces and new forms of public transportation. These aren’t luxury goods. Cities around the world have shown that it is possible to integrate comprehensive smart-growth planning with attention to making all communities more livable. Together we can rediscover city planning and community development together.

My vision for the future of Brooklyn is one of comprehensive planning and community development, real attention to neighborhoods, a stronger insistence on equality, and efforts to unleash civic energy for a more dynamic and better-stewarded public realm. This path is more challenging, but offers the rewards of a more sustainable, inclusive, vibrant, livable borough. Neighborhood policy cannot, of course, eliminate inequality.

Nonetheless, planning for diverse, mixed-income neighborhoods has the power to create opportunities for all people to thrive. In Brooklyn, with strong community planning, we can organize investments with goals of increasing opportunities, reducing costs, improving health, and strengthening social capital across the borough, with a focus on places that need that it most. 

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JO ANNE SIMON ASSEMBLYWOMAN Democrat - District 52

My district is unique, sitting at the apex of the historic Brooklyn waterfront and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway as it curves around the city’s most beautiful brownstone neighborhoods and on to the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. It contains the thirdlargest business district in New York and the “Crossroads of Brooklyn” at the both famed and infamous intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues, and hosts more transit and vehicular traffic than most of New York City.

All in all, it is an easy part of the world to cherish. The people are dynamic, they are dedicated, they are passionate about their beliefs, they care deeply about the social contract, and about living in and being part of a caring community that gives both roots and wings to the next generation.

But the area is growing and changing

so much and so quickly that there are enormous pressures to balance our part of the world to help achieve a better balance in Brooklyn.

Those pressures include the trials of an aging infrastructure, such as the BQE triple cantilever; a building boom with construction impacts that keep residents awake at night; schools that are rapidly becoming overcrowded; and the evolution of an area with naturally occurring retirement communities alongside a baby boom. The crisis in Brooklyn’s hospitals and the lack of affordable housing add to the mix.

I envision a Brooklyn where we preserve and enhance community life while planning collaboratively for the future, care for our seniors, plan collaboratively for great schools that embrace the diversity around us and contribute to the fabric of Brooklyn, giving roots and wing to all our children. 

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ROBERT CORNEGY CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 36

INEZ BARRON

My vision is for Brooklyn to be united under one banner with our eyes on a beautiful, shared future, enriched by all of our diversity. That means we must remain focused on affordable housing, good quality education in our schools, and on creating pathways to allow our residents to be truly global citizens. 

CITY COUNCILWOMAN Democrat - District 42

My vision for Brooklyn is that we will begin to establish mechanisms that will highlight the manifestations of institutionalized racism which overtly and covertly disadvantage Blacks and other people of color, which create in our communities, the challenging situations we face.

When we have identified those systems, then we must build new paradigms to create a balanced, equitable society for those who have been locked out, marginalized and overlooked. I am working to build communities where all residents are employed and make a living wage. Employment can be traditional, non-traditional, worker cooperatives and entrepreneurial.

We must overhaul our educational system to insure that we maintain culturally based, effective teachinglearning environments that are reflective of students’ various abilities and includes a balance

of academics, arts and athletics.

As the city is now bracing for the impact of ZQA and MIH, I am working to support the demands of East New York, that any development that comes into our community addresses the issues that we have consistently raised over the past three years. We demand that apartment offerings in our community be reflective of the neighborhood median income, which is $34,000. We also demand that our community residents benefit from the labor associated with any planned development and that appropriate infrastructure and community resources be a part of development plans. We will not stand complacently and allow for displacement of the people and businesses who have endured the hard times, to now be priced out of the restorations of residences, buildings and community facilities. 

LAURIE CUMBO CITY COUNCILWOMAN Democrat - District 35 Public safety, the creation and preservation of affordable housing, truly diverse schools, local hiring, an education system that prepares young people for the growing technology sector, repairs and capital upgrades to NYCHA developments, and a thriving art community to bring it all together. 

RAFAEL ESPINAL CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 37 Over the past 10 years there has been a celebration of Brooklyn’s culture, diversity and neighborhood feel, but that celebration has brought with it sky-high rents that are forcing out the people and businesses that made Brooklyn popular to begin with. Everyone’s favorite bodega, coffee shop and pharmacy are being replaced with big name chain stores. We must act to not only prevent residential displacement, but also to stop the big box stores from homogenizing our neighborhoods. We must invest more in anti-displacement measures for our small businesses.

In Cypress Hills and East New York, among the last remaining affordable neighborhoods in the borough, I was able to push the de Blasio administration to invest in legal assistance for business owners to help them lock in long-term leases so that they are protected when the wave washes over their neighborhood. We must do the same borough-wide. Our momand-pop shops are not only the backbone of our local economy, but what makes Brooklyn, Brooklyn. 

CityAndStateNY.com

LATRICE WALKER ASSEMBLYWOMAN Democrat - District 55

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My vision for Brooklyn is that our borough will remain multicultural and that we preserve its rich history.

With so much change happening, it is my hope that the change happens with us and not to us. There is a saying that goes, “a tree grows in Brooklyn,” but my belief is that the City of New York grows in Brooklyn.

If we fast forward to the year 2035, I would like to see a prosperous Brooklyn, inclusive of all groups.

I would like to see the borough bustling with small business owners reminiscing on our far they have come socially and economically. 

I think that Brooklyn is poised to become a hub for cooperative land and housing ownership models.

The market forces we are dealing with are so intense right now that residents can only fight back by working together. I am hopeful that we will be able to pursue community land trusts, mutual housing associations and other similar models that give ownership back to communities and away from big banks and real estate interests. 

ANTONIO REYNOSO CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 34

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JUMAANE WILLIAMS

STEPHEN LEVIN

CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 45

CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 33

My vision for the future of Brooklyn is that our neighborhoods remain strong and vibrant. It is a Brooklyn that honors the communities that have built our neighborhoods by ensuring they are able to stay here.

It is a place that remains open to people despite race, creed or income. I think it is very important that we do not lose sight of the fact that it is becoming harder and harder for working people to live here, and that our city policy should continue to support these communities. Longtime residents, those who work and live and raise their families, leave a positive mark on the neighborhood. Their contribution to the community we all know and love is as tangible as the streets themselves. Their many stories, stumbles, and successes form a narrative that makes us stronger. In order for the borough to be vibrant and resilient generations from now it can’t just be available to the wealthy. We must remember for the future health and vibrancy of our borough that our economic and ethnic diversity is a strength that will carry us forward. 

CARLOS MENCHACA CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 38

I envision Brooklyn remaining a place where my constituents can find good work, see their families thrive and be secure in their homes.

I want Brooklyn to remain a magnet for immigrants and businesses without threatening the security of longtime residents. I know Brooklyn can become a worldleading example of environmentally and economically just development.

I see it happening now in Red Hook resilience planning, NYCHA capital improvements and the reactivation of Sunset Park’s working waterfront. My vision

for Brooklyn’s future is bright but it includes a lot of hard work and cooperation to become a reality. We all know Brooklyn neighborhoods are forever changing. The question is whether or not the change will be fair and determined by the people of Brooklyn. My mission is to transform the relationship between residents and government through direct democracy. I see the future of Brooklyn including, for example, participatory budgeting, with fully engaged constituents guiding government and shaping their own destiny. 

My vision for my district, Brooklyn, and frankly for all of New York City, is simple: a place where all young people have a safe place to learn and grow. All working New Yorkers, families and seniors should be able to put down roots, invest in their communities and build a life without fear of violence or economic insecurity.

Currently, there’s a lot of great economic development happening in Brooklyn, but unfortunately not all neighborhoods are experiencing the benefits. In some areas, development has led to new revenue sources and new opportunities for residents, in other neighborhoods, gentrification has pushed entire communities out of their homes, and then there other places which continue to lack essential services and resources.

Too many people in our communities face social, political, economic and educational barriers, and my goal as a Brooklyn representative in the City Council has always been to push for policies which promote equity. One of the biggest challenges facing Brooklyn – and one of my greatest hopes for the future of the borough – is the affordable housing crisis. Housing lies at the intersection of many inequities and affects almost all aspects of our constituents lives. 

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MARK TREYGER CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 47

When you assess the future, you must take stock of the strengths you have in the present and address the challenges of the past. One of the biggest strengths Brooklyn has is its diverse population. In order to capitalize on this strength, we need to provide enough affordable housing to Brooklyn’s working families. We need to make sure that people who grew up here, went to school here and work here, as well as those who have chosen to come and live here, can stay here. We need to make sure our nurses, teachers, officers and transit workers are provided options for living here and raising a family here. We need to make sure our neighborhoods are safe and our schools are good. I have been advocating, for example, for a retrofitting of our schools in Brooklyn so our young people can build the technology

that will be utilized in creating a more resilient and sustainable city.

We also need to strike the balance of a growing, changing city and one that preserves its historic character.

We need to landmark the Coney Island Boardwalk, and there are parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant that could become historic districts, among many other locations throughout the borough.

Brooklyn must also take center stage in becoming the city’s manufacturing capital. Because of our diversity, we need to invest in human capital and turn our social power into economic and political power. We have the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but we need to expand on that.

Out of the challenges we face are born opportunities that we must seize. I’m excited about the future of Brooklyn, because our greatest days are still ahead of us.

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A fresh perspective on opinions / Edited by NICK POWELL

Stop the school shell game in Bed-Stuy

By DARLENE BOSTON

WHEN ONE PARENT ASKED FARIÑA WHY THE DISTRICT WAS TRYING TO LIMIT THE EXPANSION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS ... HER RESPONSE WAS, “WHAT DO YOU

Boys and Girls High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

NEW YORKERS CAN usually figure out when someone’s not being up-front with us, whether it’s a guy on the corner selling a fake handbag or a politician who’s promising something he can’t deliver.

It’s happening now in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where the city Department of Education is playing a shell game designed to trick parents into thinking we’re getting a new benefit for our community.

They’re trying to convince us things will improve at our neighborhood high school, Boys and Girls, but in reality the students are being tossed to the side.

A few weeks ago, the Department of Education postponed the relocation of Medgar Evers College Preparatory into the Boys and Girls High School building.

Parents at both schools should be very skeptical of what’s to come because they have been lied to time and

time again. When the move was originally announced a few months ago, Boys and Girls parents were told it would be a school merger. This was exciting news because their school would be able to access resources from a high-performing school like Medgar Evers. There were even promises that Boys and Girls students could take AP classes at Medgar Evers.

It now appears as though the “merger” was never real in the first place. Parents have since learned that Medgar Evers’ move into the building would actually be a co-location. Medgar Evers admits students through a competitive application process and is open to students citywide. Although it would be re-located from District 17 to District 16, the school would continue to admit students on a citywide basis, and there will be no additional seats

created for kids in District 16. This means that nothing would change for the kids currently enrolled in Boys and Girls, and there won’t be any additional options for Bed-Stuy families.

That’s not stopping the Department of Education spin machine. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña came to our neighborhood for a town hall last month, but it was clear she was not there to answer tough questions. When one parent asked Fariña why the district was trying to limit the expansion of charter schools when parents clearly want them, her response was, “What do you want me to do, chew gum and walk on water?”

Her responses to other tough questions were equally dismissive.

Fariña flatly stated that she disagreed with the idea that most of the schools in District 16 are failing, and even though she did talk about low enrollment numbers at traditional public schools in the district, she never made the connection between low enrollment and parents’ dissatisfaction with the quality of education.

As a lifelong resident of Bed-Stuy whose family has been connected to Boys and Girls since the 1950s, I’ve seen the school steadily decline from when my two sons attended the school. Boys and Girls has the capacity to serve 3,320 students, but under Bill de Blasio’s watch, the school has dwindled to just 358 and dropping.

Mayor de Blasio promised to “focus like a laser” on schools like ours, but

Bed-Stuy families have had it with the injustice and dishonesty, and we don’t need any more broken promises.

While we wait for the Department of Education to present yet another plan for the Boys and Girls building, we urge them to develop a strategy that provides new seats in a high-performing high school, with quality teachers who can properly equip our kids for college.

Parents want teachers who can prepare students to take Advanced Placement courses.

Parents at Boys and Girls and in Bed-Stuy need assurances that changes will be made so their kids will get a quality education.

So – Mr. Mayor, Bed-Stuy families are waiting to hear from you. What benefit are we actually getting from the Medgar Evers move? How specifically are you going to improve Boys and Girls High School? How can we be assured that the plan isn’t to drain our school until it no longer exists? What are you going to do to add new quality seats in Bed-Stuy?

We want the mayor and the Department of Education to stop playing shell games and give us real answers.

Darlene Boston is a lifelong Bed-Stuy resident, former public school parent and senior organizer for StudentsFirstNY.

PATRICK WALL/CHALKBEAT NEW YORK

WANT ME TO DO, CHEW GUM AND WALK ON WATER?”

NYSlant.com

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Creating ‘high opportunity’ communities in Brooklyn NATE KIM

By COLVIN GRANNUM

IN EARLY FEBRUARY I wrote in New York Slant about how “change” is a recurring theme for those of us working in community development and housing. As a native of Bedford-Stuyvesant I have witnessed dramatic changes over the past 10 to 15 years that have forced many lowto moderate-income families, often African- and CaribbeanAmerican, out of northern and central Brooklyn. These are the families that power city government, work in health care and serve local needs through employment in government and nonprofit organizations, yet their housing needs have been overlooked.

A public intervention was necessary to accommodate Brooklyn’s full range of housing needs.

The recently enacted Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability amendments to the New York City zoning law provide us with an opportunity to chart a different course and offer economic opportunity to Brooklynites in every corner of the borough.

The macro demographics of Brooklyn suggest that our borough is economically and racially diverse. However, a closer look reveals large pockets of economic and racial segregation. In communities like BedfordStuyvesant, East New York and Brownsville, housing and schools have been segregated for generations. This also remains true to a significant extent in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods like Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

The consequences of this segregation are costly.

A disproportionately high percentage of families in economically and racially segregated communities continue to suffer from

limited access to healthy, reasonably priced food and well-resourced hospitals; high rates of diabetes, hypertension and obesity; poor housing quality; low perceptions of personal safety and physical and mental well-being; environmental challenges such as poor air quality; and disproportionately lower spending and exposure to arts and culture.

Moreover, research shows that even moderate-income African-American families that live in historically low-income and racially segregated neighborhoods have greatly reduced chances for asset creation and upward mobility.

To a very high degree, the economic composition of communities determines the opportunities for success available to the children and families who live there.

Affluent or otherwise “high opportunity” communities support and advance residents’ economic progress.

On the other hand, we’ve seen in Brooklyn and throughout the city that predominantly low-income communities generally fail to support families with sufficient resources to foster upward economic mobility. Decisions concerning where to place new housing are therefore obviously important.

Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability are long-overdue public-sector interventions in the real estate market – interventions that may be effectively used to increase economic and racial integration, thereby creating a smarter, more equitable city. These amendments, along with the other housing development tools and investments at the city’s disposal, provide an opportunity to craft mixed-

income communities that increase the likelihood for upward economic mobility and other positive economic and social outcomes.

Mandatory Inclusionary Housing offers the potential for more equitable social and economic outcomes for residents through the thoughtful placement of new housing. Over the last decade, thousands of new units of housing were constructed in downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill and BedfordStuyvesant.

New pristine, essentially homogenous communities have sprung into being. However, few of these new units are affordable to households earning less than $62,000, and virtually none are permanently affordable.

In many cases, the new developments have directly or indirectly uprooted families without any provision for their future living arrangements. In gentrified or rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing has the potential to, at a minimum, reduce displacement of lowand moderate-income families.

As the city’s population grows, so-called “frontier” communities such as

Brownsville have become prime targets for new development.

Mandatory Inclusionary Housing offers an opportunity for historically low-income and minority communities that have long seen a lack of investment to benefit from thoughtful planning.

Increased production of low-income housing blended with increased levels of moderate-income residents can transform these neighborhoods into economically diverse, “high opportunity” communities.

This is especially true when accompanied by public-sector investment in transportation, schools, parks, libraries and public safety.

We must keep in mind the benefits that housing can create in addition to shelter. This is crucial to ensuring that all New Yorkers have opportunities for upward mobility.

Colvin Grannum is the CEO and president of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation.

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CityAndStateNY.com

DRAWING the FUTURE A Q&A with cover artist OLALEKAN J E Y I FO U S Our cover’s creator, Olalekan Jeyifous (pronounced “oh-LAH-lake-ahn JAY-uhf-us,” but you can call him “Lake”), is a Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based artist and designer. His signature intricate style has been shown at galleries as far away as Paris and Rotterdam and as close to home as MoMA. Jeyifous talked to City & State’s Jeff Coltin about the cover, Afrofuturism and finding inspiration in strip malls.

C&S: What were you thinking about as you drew the cover? What were your inspirations for the future of Brooklyn?

OJ: I always like mashups of old and new. As cities evolve, they still maintain a bit of their architectural history and language, even if the evolution is pretty bizarre. That was the idea I wanted to go with, blending the classic Brooklyn brownstone iconography. Not necessarily historical continuity, but more of a juxtaposition with technological architectural edifices growing out of the historical brownstone language.

C&S: There’s a huge architectural influence in all of your art. Where does that come from?

OJ: I actually went to school for architecture. I had a small practice, more like a collective. It’s still in operation, but I’ve stepped away to focus more on creating art. My relationship to architecture is pretty much woven into all I do. And I treat my studio practice very much like my architectural education, which is giving myself a narrative, or some sort of project to look into, or some sort of condition to reflect on and illuminate. So very much of what I do is architecturally inspired and based.

C&S: There’s also a sense of disorder.

A lot of your work is intricate, with overlapping lines. It really takes a long time to look at it and make out all the details. Would you agree, calling it disorder?

OJ: I’ve never heard anyone say disorder before, but I’m not opposed to that at all. A lot of my stuff is dystopic, so it definitely has a feel of disarray.

But I would say more “chaordic,” kind of like chaos, order, coming together. I also really like informal settlements. Even though they look very ramshackle – and in terms of the way they’re built, they are ramshackle – but there’s always a highly evolved organization to the way these things develop. So disorder is not far from what inspires my work, but I would say more like controlled chaos, or a disorganized order.

C&S: The focus of our issue is the future of Brooklyn, and much of your art has really riffed off of the concept of Afrofuturism. In Brooklyn, there’s this great fear of the whitening of historically black and Latino areas of Brooklyn, from Crown Heights to

Bushwick to East New York. Do you see Brooklyn’s future as being an Afro-future in any way?

OJ: I would probably say not at all. Just in terms of basic historical precedent.

I’ve lived in Crown Heights for 16 years.

I’m actually not from Brooklyn, I moved around a lot growing up. And I’ve lived pretty much in the same four- or fiveblock radius the entire time. And it has changed tremendously over a very short time frame. Drastically. From 2007 to 2009, the Franklin Avenue corridor had almost completely transformed. So that’s definitely one of the major issues, the classic confrontation of neighborhoods.

Like Brooklyn, like Oakland, like New Haven, Connecticut, it’s just one of those things that happens – an attempt, a fight to maintain at least some sort of cultural semblance of what these communities were. But it really just seems that in the end, money, development and high costs per square footage always seems to prevail. Realistically I don’t see Brooklyn’s future being Afrofuturistic that much at all. There may be preservation of certain enclaves, but historical precedent doesn’t really support that evolution.

C&S: What’s Brooklyn’s future look like for artists, then?

OJ: The thing about art is that art evolves with whatever culture. And art maintains simultaneous cultures.

If you’re just speaking of the idea of artists being inspired, artists are inspired by the good and the bad. Art is inspired by destruction and chaos as well as triumph and hopefulness.

Motivation for artists will always be there. I’m not one of those people who think, “Oh man, this neighborhood is now so glossy and clean, it’s saccharine, there’s no resistance, there’s no creative energy.” I personally operate under an idea that there’s always creative energy. I don’t know if other artists or movements within Brooklyn really feel that way, but even when the neighborhoods change completely, the work of the artist could be to work in opposition. It would still be inspiring if this place turns into one big glass steel strip mall. It’s still something that artists could riff off of.

That’s what art really is, responding to whatever’s going on.

For the full interview, visit cityandstateny.com. Learn more about Jeyifous on his website, vigilism.com.

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New York Road Runners provides free running programs for kids, adults, and seniors throughout Brooklyn—and we want to do more. To get something going in your neighborhood or school, contact us at community@ nyrr.org. Let’s get moving together!

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All over the borough, people are on the move. Imagine what we can do together.

NYU IN BROOKLYN

NYU in Brooklyn is a thriving academic hub where students are developing their potential and entrepreneurs are setting down strong local roots. Our highly developed interdisciplinary programming is paving the way for innovative collaboration.

While our programs in Brooklyn continue to inspire students and businesses alike, the University is working to restore the once-iconic 370 Jay Street building to its former glory, transforming it into a global center for science, technology, media, arts, and education.

Learn more at nyu.edu/brooklyn