Just a few short months ago, the seemingly delirious rush to develop virtually every available space with market rate housing went bust. A prime example is 1040 East New York Avenue, a private development that found itself empty until the City stepped in to save the developer. 1040 East New York Ave. is now a luxury homeless shelter.
Published reports state the idea of developer Avi Shriki “leasing out his new luxury condo building to a homeless shelter was the furthest thing from his mind.” NYC’s real estate boom created thousands of unsold and vacant units across the city. Shriki’s development faced the same fate – until he signed a 10 year contract with the Bushwick Economic Development Group to turn the building into a homeless shelter, complete with granite countertops, marble bathrooms, walk-in closets, and terraces facing Lincoln Terrace Park.
Protests, queries, and complaints created the need for a Town Hall meeting focused on the shelter. Hosted by Council member Darlene Mealy, Community Board #17 District Manager Sheriff Fraser, and Director of Community Development of Block Associations B.M. Marcus, the Town Hall was attended by 100 community members – homeowners, clergy, formerly homeless, and concerned citizens. Residents of the shelter were invited, but did not attend. Neither did the City’s Economic Development Corp., which was also invited.
Mealy presented her own concerns, and wondered if there are counselors on premises; whether residents can have visitors. Mealy said, “I am not saying I am against shelters,” and reminded attendees of the numbers of people coming back from prison who sometimes find themselves sleeping as guests on sofas, with no housing of their own.
Attendees expressed their concerns. One spoke for teachers employed at PS 398, located a half block from the development. Several teachers applied for purchase of the development’s co-op units, and found they could not afford them. The speaker observed it was no wonder the developer could not sell them, they were too expensive for middle class teacher salaries. Mealy commented that she is mindful of the affordability of new developments; she is blocking another Brownsville development with a proposed price per unit of $750,000. “It is not being built,” Mealy said.
There were no hard answers as to how much the City is paying to house the homeless. Mealy said it may be $90.00 per night, per room. A college educated formerly homeless worker said she had received a shelter allowance budget letter that stated a cost of $1,000 per week per person. Marcus said the shelter is being paid $150.00 per night, per room.
Marcus called the whole process a “scam,” occurring in Brooklyn and the Bronx. “Our tax dollars could be spent differently.” According to Marcus, HPD and NYCHA combined are warehousing a total of 500,000 apartments. “Instead of renting rooms for $150.00 per night, the money could be used for low income housing,” Marcus said. He added, “I am not against the homeless, but this is a community.”
Fraser reported a series of communications between CB #17, EDC, and the Dept. of Homeless Services beginning March 18. Fraser was notified that 1040 East New York Ave had a “total capacity of 68 units,” which “will provide transitional housing and an array of services as they transition to permanent housing.” Fraser said CB #17 contacted the EDC exec. dir., who was invited to the CB meetings. Fraser pointed out EDC was a no show then, and at the Town Hall meeting.
Fraser said a major complaint she receives is that these type of facilities are being placed throughout East Flatbush. She said the DHS intends to place these type of facilities “on your block.”
Mealy asked attendees to remember the City has no law to control what private owners do with their property as long as the property complies with housing codes.
Then Mealy told what happened on her block. A private house was turned into a homeless shelter. On her block, witnesses saw beds being moved in a 12:30 at night. Later it was found that 27 beds were placed in a 2 story house. “The community accepted it,” Mealy said. The shelter residents were not a problem, and in fact attend block association meetings. According to Mealy, the residents have become part of the community.
Providing a broader view, Mealy told of a development on Atlantic between Buffalo and Ralph which has 5 tiers of income levels, including 10% homeless. “A homeless family can be in an apartment next to someone making $80,000.”
One man said he was part of a 2-person protest in front of the facility until one resident with children opened the window and yelled she was there are a result of domestic violence. Her words made him stop and think. He said, “When undocumented men from the Caribbean and Africa overstay their VISA, we didn’t call Homeland Security or ICE. These women and children are American citizens.” He told the Town Hall attendees, “Don’t discriminate.”
Mealy concurred, “We can’t stereotype people. There but for the grace of God, go I.”
No one knew if the shelter was housing single men, single women, or women with children. An older man was extremely concerned if the type of men who reside at the Atlantic Ave. shelter would be placed in the facility. Another woman said she did not have a problem with homeless women and children living in the facility. “They spend money in the community. Their children attend local schools.”
Marcus said “Several psych centers are being placed in our community.” Mealy responded, “This is happening everywhere.”
Mealy asked if there are problems with the homeless facility. “Has anyone been seen standing outside?” No one in attendance could say they have. Mealy reminded the attendees that elected officials cannot be everywhere. “It is important that members of the community contact their official when they see something of concern.”
Volunteers stepped forward to participate in a soon to be scheduled tour of the facility and will bring observations to a follow-up Town Hall.
Luxury Shelter Town Hall Meeting Leaves More Questions Than Answers
The Park Deserves Better Than This
Over the past 3-weeks approximately 30 plants have been stolen from Herbert Von King Park on Lafayette Avenue between Marcy and Tompkins Avenues reported Walter Markham, head gardener for the park. The Park, where the Bedford Stuyvesant Little League takes the field every summer night, and where on holidays, if you haven’t secured your barbecue spot by 6am, you’re looking for whatever is left. “They’ve been taking them at night and one of the evergreen bushes, a newly-planted Taxus, weighed about 50 lbs. including the root ball which had been dug up,” suggesting that this was not the work of idle youngsters. “What I’m afraid of is that the plants will die and whoever took them may come back for replacements” said Markham. Park neighbors, including the 79th Police Precinct right across the street, have been alerted to be watchful.
Plants stolen from Herbert Von King Park over the last few weeks:
10 Rosebushes
8 Reb Barberry
6 Taxus (Evergreens)
3 Boxwoods (Evergreen)
1 Red Chokeberry
Who Killed Chanel Petro-Nixon?
“These raindrops represent the tears of the family and the community” said Councilwoman Letitia James at the start of the march commemorating the third year of the unsolved brutal murder of Chanel Petro-Nixon, a 16-year-old “A” student at Boys & Girls High School. Ms. Petro-Nixon’s body was found in a trash bag in front of 215 Kingston Avenue.
“We are calling on Mayor Bloomberg to make the case of Chanel Petro-Nixon a priority of the Police Department’s Major Case Squad “ said community activist Minister Taharka Robinson who organized and led the march.
In his remarks, Councilman Charles Barron said that while this case may be unresolved, it is not forgotten. “We will never forget what happened” said Barron who charged the City with not giving Chanel’s case the attention it would have received “if she (Chanel) were of another complexion,” adding “we will not rest until we receive justice in this case.”
That sentiment was echoed by Councilwoman James. “Until we have information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator, or perpetrators of this crime, we will be out here in the rain, we will be out here in the sun, in the snow, in the fall, we will be out here marching to keep her memory alive.”
Led by Mr. Robinson and Chanel’s mother, Mrs. Lucita Petro-Nixon and Chanel’s father Garvin Nixon, the sixty or so marchers, including District Leader Olaniki Alabi, James Caldwell, president of the 77th Precinct Community Council and Daily News columnist Errol Louis, chanted “Who’s Daughter? Our Daughter!” and “If you know something, say something” as they proceeded down Harriet Ross Tubman Avenue, AKA Fulton Street to Kingston Avenue and up to the site where Chanel was found.
On arrival, Reverend Dr. Cheryl Anthony, pastor of Judah International Christian Center, led the group in prayer and Councilwoman James told them “We’re standing on sacred ground” and that they were there to “Let people know that snitching is a badge of honor. You have an obligation to snitch, particularly as it related to the death of this young angel.”
All those assembled had sympathy for the Nixons, but there was one who could empathize at a very raw level. Mrs. Robin Lyde had lost her son Benny Lyde who had been murdered on his stoop. It took two years, but his killer was found. “It’s three years and we have no answer I know it’s hard for this mother to get up in the morning. At nighttime she walks around and wonders who did this to my daughter? This has forever changed the lives of her cousins and siblings. We need to take a stand. It’s her daughter today, it’s yours tomorrow. Or your son. We did this for Benny, I’m asking that we do this for this mother.”
View From Here – Green, Saving it For Whom?
Sustainable living. Saving the planet. Saving it for whom? African-Americans have to first make sure that while we work to save the planet for the year 2100 that we also work to insure our descendants are able to enjoy it. That date is only eight-nine years from now, just as we are only ninety-one years from 1920 and let’s see how far we’ve come in those last decades. In August of 1920, 25,000 people went to Madison Square Garden to hear Marcus Garvey, founder of the United Negro Improvement Association with four million members around the world. In addition to the famous, though ill-fated “Black Star Line” of cruise ships, Garvey founded “The Negro World” newspaper and his proposed Negro Factories Corporation was to “build and operate factories in the big industrials areas of the United States, the West Indies and Africa to manufacture every marketable commodity.”
Despite the white terrorism of the period, 53 lynchings in 1920 and race riots across the nation, African-Americans were able to capitalize on the non-competitive markets created by segregation and own banks, insurance companies, hotels, food stores and all other manner of businesses. These were all supported by Black people. The Harlem Renaissance of arts and literature was beginning in 1920 and in 1921 Shuffle Along was the first musical written, performed, produced, and directed by African-Americans on Broadway.
The eighty-nine years since then has not been a steady march forward.
All current statistics tell us that the elements that are associated with a sustainable population, good physical and economic health and supportive family units, are missing in the African-American community. Preventable diseases are the leading cause of death, high school graduation rates are under 50%, unemployment is over 50% and 70% of Black households are headed by a single parent. With those facts as underlying truth, there is no certainty that the next eighty-nine will not be a long, sad slide to oblivion despite the record number of Black politicians in office, or the achievements of individuals.
Any effort at environmental sustainability in the African-American community must also address the reality of the tenuous state of racial and cultural sustainability if it is to be successful. Old clothes and bits of material were recycled into quilts, and small garden plots were not planted for esthetics but to feed the family. These activities strengthened social connections and were not fads or impositions, but provided the foundations for memories and success stories that connected folks to a past that was grounded in mutual support and protection.
If there is to be passion about making the world safe for future generations, then there first must be a passion to insure that our descendants will be an integral part of that coming time, and not just fading reminders of what we once were.
Greenprint for Change The Sustainability Movement: Grassroots to Global – Pt. 1
Greenprint for Change – Part 1
Strategies for a Recalibration …
Climate change and the economic crisis are linked by the one element that created them: those who control the resources.
And it will take those who do not … those who believe in human capital, fostering an awareness of the importance of being in harmony with nature …to bail us out. As was repeated in many sessions at the recent high-level United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, we must go to the farmer
in Africa to find some of these answers.
There is an irony in going to that farmer; she subsists in areas where poverty and hunger are at some of the highest levels in the world. Meanwhile, according to a study by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, “Foreign nations are showing growing interest in Africa’s production base as they seek to secure their own growing needs for food, feed, fiber and fuel. These claims pose an additional threat to Africa’s food security. Proactive and timely adaptation measure, both technical and institutional, might help rural Africa to capitalize on this increased demand instead of becoming victim to it.”
So what does this have to do with changing lightbulbs, weatherizing windows, using real plates instead of paper, and recyclable grocery bags? More than you think. Central Brooklyn has severe health issues, high foreclosure rates, low income, and high unemployment. In Many respects, we are more Third World than not.
That farmer, bent over the soil, bringing life to a plot of land, is not so far from removed from us. “In fact, we (of Southern and Caribbean backgrounds) are the most environmentally-based people,” said Desmond Prince, a local green entrepreneur. “So our connection with the soil and with green is part of our heritage.”
Unfortunately, that history maybe getting blurred from the multiversity meltdown, and that could bring on a dynamic which would be tragic: the selling of “green” literacy programs or initial ancestral basic inventions back to us. If that happens, we will be worse off than ever. So that is why a Greenprint for Change needs to encompass something a little deeper than a grocery list of things to do … although they should be done.
The platform of this Greenprint will unfold over time; its core is grounded in changing value systems, recalling and respecting ancestral traditions, equalizing opportunity. It is a revitalization of the mind set, focus on things that need to be done to help the family, the community, the nation, our children survive beyond us. It is at that point we begin to think about how we will design our own sustainability futures and push for bold agendas, and not have designs or agendas foisted on us. .
Greenprint Strategies:
Education:
A series of Boot Camp courses on Sustainability or Green Tips and Techniques to all Block Association Presidents.
Revise the city’s school textbooks to reflect accurately the histories of Native Americans and
enslaved Africans and their contributions to the “planting” of New York. Also what they brought to
these shores that still survive.
Different communities sharing, through community board day-long conferences, how they are greening their neighborhoods, and sharing resources. (This could also occur with the Chamber of Commerce board and the membership of, say, the Bedford-Stuyvesant Lions’ Club.)
Neighborhoods should develop “green” partnerships with neighborhoods in other cities, again all for the purpose of sharing.
Information sharing would extend to family reunions; many families from Brooklyn travel South. They should tour the cities, and see what is being done or not being down to thwart the challenges of global warming. Develop Local Food recipes for a Family recipe book, and include family history.
Get junk food out of the schools, as State Sen. Eric Adams said at the Brooklyn Food Conference, recently. A door to door outreach campaign to fix the food system would begin to increase awareness of health sustainability.
The United Nations Millennium Development Goal is to halve poverty and hunger by 2015. Set a goal in your neighborhood for developing a Food Coop by that time, and another Farmers Market. UNEP says “25% of the world’s food production may become lost due to ecological breakdown by 2050.”
Micro-finance – utilizing small donations from block residents – a business for teen members of the Block Associations, as long as that business has a green aspect. Within legal restrictions, they could test the soil of a backyard and grow, then sell their produce to block members. Or write a book about the block which would include profiles of everyone who agreed in advance to purchase a copy.
Parents should demand agriculture, gardening, carpentry and other hands-on course be put back into the curricula, and this includes such “green” other “green” activities as home economics.
The U.N. delegate from Seychelles advised: develop a neighbor to neighbor food trading system: one homeowner grows tomatoes; plants okras; other collards, and they share with each other.
The U.N. delegate from South Africa said: If you see an empty unused lot, take it over. Just do it.
Organization like Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration might offer free Weatherization seminar, while Neighborhood Housing Services of Bedford Stuyvesant would offer Lead Prevention workshops – a t a Block Association meeting.
Universities should take an interest in priming the pipeline before children reach high-school with mini-institutes of science in the classroom or at a nearby center – free.
Local schools can connect with HBCU agricultural colleges for week-long summer NASA-like programs for young people and their parents. This could be by lottery with corporate sponsorship.
Every major corporation located in a striving neighborhood should invest in the environment of that neighborhood.
The Mayor should provide incentives for groups and blocks that engage in green/sustainable projects or develop their own plan for neighborhood sustainability.
Offer neighborhoods new learning opportunities to explore stimulating challenges – solving the crisis in Africa, interpretations of it through art and music, group discussions, create new ideas and engage young people in pen pal situations.
Technology companies can deploy their staffs to train in micro-green site development.
The City should create a Green Business Plan competition, open to all Block Associations, with start-up funding going to the best plan.
Universities receiving grant money for community work can split the money with the community, as well as resources and teaching labs. Sometimes, that translates to a couple of $100,000.
Greenprint for Change continues, in an upcoming issue.