By David Mark Greaves
At the legislative breakfast of the Fort Greene Senior Citizens Council, the blessing by Reverend Charles Galbreath of the Clarendon Road Church
included an appeal to the Lord and the assembled politicians for funding, an appeal that has already been answered, at least in part. Assemblyman
Walter Mosley, 57th District, announced the culmination of the efforts of former Assemblymen Roger Green and Hakeem Jeffries and his own as the latest holder of the office that funding had been secured for the future home of the Ft. Greene Senior Citizens Council at 1024 Fulton Street with housing for seniors and veterans. The building, abandoned for decades, was the past home of the OIC of America, founded by the activist Reverend Dr. Leon H. Sullivan.
Young Minds Daycare & 966 Center Secure
After all the meetings and demonstrations for the “powerful advocacy” of Fort Greene Sr. Council President Claudette Macey, Councilwoman and nearby resident Laurie Cumbo said that there is now no danger of them losing the space “where our culture and heritage can be preserved”. And Comptroller Scott Stringer said there was “no way” he was going to come to this event and not be able to say the contract securing the building “has been delivered today and I’m going to sign it”.
Affordable Housing
Speaking of the 421(a) tax abatement program that has recently lapsed, Mosley said this 1970 program “was made for a city far different than where we live now”. “We need affordable housing for those who have stayed the course and not become a city where people will be able to work here but not live here.”
This is a special reality for many seniors because if their children and grandchildren aren’t living with them, they find it hard to live near them. With the prices of affordable apartments being determined by an Area Median Income (AMI) of $86,300 for a family of four and the median income of Brooklyn hovers around $45-$46,000, the stress between these two realities causes Public Advocate and neighborhood resident Letitia James to echo the assemblyman by saying she was “tired of people saying ‘affordable’ when nothing is affordable” and ask the questions that will dominate life in Brooklyn for the foreseeable future, “Affordable housing? Affordable for whom?”
Voting Rights
Assemblywoman Annette Robinson said that “they are taking away the right to vote across the country” and that 100k voters are off the rolls in Brooklyn. “With important elections coming up in April, June and September”, people should confirm their registration and polling sites. (Sites and Registration can be confirmed at: www.voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us.)
(Caption for the Featured Image:) The front line managers of the Fort Greene Senior Citizens Council – From left to right: Claudette Macey- Executive Director, Fort Greene Council, Inc., Merlyn Bruce-Manager of Christopher Blenman Neighborhood Senior Center (NSC), Sharron Trotman-Manager of Hazel Brooks NSC, Carmel Taylor-Flowers, Manager of Grant Square NSC, Ayana Clarkson-Manager of Remsen NSC, Tyheese Moulterie- Coordinator of Seth Low Senior Club, Grenay Patteson -Manager of Maria Lawton NSC, Julia Shaw- Manager of Willoughby NSC; Glynis Urquhart- Manager of Stuyvesant Heights NSC; Leishanna Lawrence- Interim Manager of Hugh Gilroy NSC; Sharon Barnett-Burrowes – Manager of Grace Agard Harewood NSC; and center front is Mwata Nubian- Operations Manager of Fort Greene Council, Inc.