Atlantic Avenue should be planned by the community, not by developers!

Join your community in a request to city agencies and Mayor Adams for an inclusive and comprehensive neighborhood planning process for Atlantic Avenue and neighboring area to generate truly affordable housing together with a plan for improvements to transportation, open space, schools, and family-sustaining jobs.

SIGN THE PETITION

Here’s the petition text:

We need a holistic neighborhood plan for the Atlantic Avenue area, from Flatbush to Nostrand – not a series of disconnected private developments.

WE THE UNDERSIGNED are writing to request that the City Council reject two private applications for zoning map and text amendments to permit the construction of two individual  17-story luxury buildings on Atlantic Avenue.  

Instead we want to see a broad-based collaborative planning effort for the Atlantic Avenue area that brings to the table the community members most at risk of displacement, and that generates much-needed truly affordable housing together with a plan that includes improvements to transportation, open space, schools, and family-sustaining jobs.

We object to the uncoordinated and profit-driven context in which the two developments, scheduled to be voted on in April of 2022, were proposed. They are part of an onslaught of private developer-driven proposals (six of them already approved) within less than three years. Together they add over 2,200 units of mostly market-rate housing. While they are only a ½ mile from each other, the 8 projects stretch over three community boards, 2 city council districts and 4 neighborhoods (Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Prospect Heights and Crown Heights). Their collective impact on our communities has never been examined. 

Instead many categories in the required Environmental Assessment Statements were left blank because each of these individual projects on its own did not meet the threshold to require an answer. No one has ever looked at how many residents, businesses and workers just these eight projects will displace collectively. No one has ever studied whether additional school seats or other community facilities would be needed for 5,000 new residents.

Hampered by a pandemic, the outgoing administration and local council members failed to follow up on a request by Community Board 8 to engage in a neighborhood plan and instead let private developers proceed in this planning void. This does not add up to a neighborhood plan. It does not add significant amounts of affordable housing or improvements to the already dangerous Atlantic Avenue.

In her testimony to the City Planning commission on these two rezoning applications, Council Member Crystal Hudson said: “[…] I support a comprehensive vision for city planning — not just for our city at large but also for the 35th District. That starts along Atlantic Avenue, where we have a chance to foster a community-led process that will center our neighbors’ needs.” 

We ask the City Council to reject these two applications and Mayor Adams to follow through with CM Hudson’s proposal for a broad and transparent community-led process for Atlantic Avenue and its adjacent communities.

SIGN THE PETITION

Join Us for our Meeting Monday, January 17th

Please join us for our January meeting!

When: Jan 17, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcldu2uqDkjHtIpoflq-j1rEHpnNxPremOC 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  

Please reach out to us at northprospectheights@gmail.com if you have ideas you’d like discussed at our meeting.
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Rent and Legal Assistance for Tenants

The Statewide eviction moratorium ended on Saturday, January 15th.  The office of Council Member Crystal Hudson has distributed the following links for tenants seeking assistance with rent or against harassment.

• Apply for rental assistance: All New Yorkers in need of rent relief should apply for assistance through the recently reopened Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) web portal. A pending application will provide temporary protection from eviction. More information on ERAP, the status of your application, and tenant protections in the wake of COVID-19 is available here.
• Accessing a housing lawyer: You do not have to fight the threat of eviction alone. All New York City residents can access a lawyer to represent them in housing court through the City’s Right to Counsel law. Right to Counsel legal services are free, available in every ZIP code, and available regardless of immigration status. Call 311 and ask for the Right to Counsel to be connected with free legal services. More information about Right to Counsel is available here.
• Lockouts are illegal: If you are a tenant with a lease, or you have been living in your home for at least 30 days, your landlord, under no circumstances, can lock you out of your apartment. If you are locked out of your apartment, call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline, or call your local precinct for immediate assistance. You can also call the Council Member’s office at 718-260-9191.
• New York City’s Tenant Resource Portal: Many answers to your frequently asked questions are available through the city’s Tenant Resource Portal. If you have other questions or unique circumstances, call the Council Member’s office at 718-260-9191. 
• Help for homeowners: Homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage as a result of the pandemic are now eligible for assistance through the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund. Apply online at https://www.nyhomeownerfund.org/ or call 1-844-77-NYHAF.

No new developments until there’s a comprehensive plan!

We are deeply concerned by the emergence of individual private ULURP applications for Atlantic Avenue and we call on the City Planning Commission to reject them.

The use of individual private applications to unlock development potential on Atlantic Avenue undercuts the community’s leverage to develop a holistic plan that addresses an eventual near-doubling of Prospect Heights’ population. There are already 6,450 new units of housing approved for Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park. The progression of proposed new developments on Atlantic Avenue will add thousands more residents and the impact on infrastructure must be considered comprehensively.  The consideration of individual applications also fails to address the implications of indirect displacement caused by the introduction of such a large number of new market rate units. 

These proposals should be rejected and we ask our next City Council Member, Borough President and Mayor to work with us to deliver a better plan.

THE COST OF NO COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The absence of a transparently developed comprehensive plan lets city agencies and our elected officials off the hook, and leaves the community with changes that can in reality contradict declared goals.  

While imperfect, neighborhood-wide plans have far broader scope, including programs and funding for displacement mitigation and infrastructure improvements, and they are a rare opportunity to connect normally siloed city agencies inside a public process. 

Individual applications cannot contribute in the same way to building a vital and healthy neighborhood.  With individual applications, any benefits must be delivered within the property lines that are controlled by the developer.  This is compounded by approval of districts that include property outside of any agreement because the property is not controlled by the applicant, and the need for the Community Board to offer development bonuses in exchange for benefits which have been defined by a few behind closed doors.

Just look at the environmental study for each of these individual developments.  Across numerous categories of study – schools, displacement, open space – the impact of each individual development does not meet the threshold for study.  Yet we know that, in aggregate, the combined impact of these developments will be significant.

This is why we say the City is letting the community down, and itself off the hook.  And it is not the first time we’ve gone through this.  With Atlantic Yards, the City let a private developer use a State process to escape any enforceable obligations it did not choose to meet.  So we already have shortfalls like 1877 elementary school seats if the project is built in full, regularly congested intersections, and poor sanitation.  Looking forward, the obvious context here is that the much-ballyhooed public transit access said to accompany these upzonings on Atlantic Avenue is missing.  Public transit access may be sufficient for a certain degree of density, but Atlantic Avenue simply does not have the equivalent public transit of similarly wide avenues nearby like 4th Avenue or Eastern Parkway.

Failure to address these conditions within a transparent public process that publishes the goals it defines, and sets clear commitments will likely produce an acceleration of exactly the demographic changes the Department of City Planning says it is trying to address in its presentation “M-Crown Population and Demographic Trends.”

DISPLACEMENT

Over the course of the last twenty years Prospect Heights has changed dramatically.  Much of the neighborhood is whiter and richer.  Its expensive shops and restaurants alienate many longtime residents of the neighborhood.  But DCP is using urgent observations about demographic changes in our neighborhood to justify actions which only further enhance and speed up the effects of displacement.

One cannot introduce so much market rate housing into a neighborhood and expect to compensate for the effects of displacement using existing MIH options.  The developer’s use of simulated negotiations with the Community Board over MIH options is a sleight of hand which trades away little if any of the amount of square footage dedicated to unaffordable housing.  And by breaking apart environmental analysis into individual pieces even though a wide area is clearly being up-zoned, the city is playing a trick.  It avoids identifying the cumulative effects of all of the new developments when looked at together.

MOVING FORWARD

Approval of these projects will complete the upzoning of much of Atlantic Avenue in Prospect Heights.  Without a comprehensive public planning effort, the greater density and large number of non-affordable units ushered in by these applications will increase adverse impacts on the community – even as they diminish the community’s leverage to address those impacts moving forward.

In 2018, Borough President Adams, Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo and Community Board 8 all called for a neighborhood-wide plan and a specific zoning framework.  Both goals are being brushed aside with these individual applications.  In her campaign Council Member Crystal Hudson called for the ULURP application process to be centered on racial equity and she made numerous positions relative to development that these projects do not address.  

Why not allow the imprint of our new Council Member and our new Mayor on these developments?   These proposals should be rejected, and we ask our next City Council Member and Mayor to work with us to deliver a better plan.

Sincerely Yours,

Leslie Dann

Sharlene Dantzler

Lynette Field

Cathy Iselin

Peter Krashes

Robert Puca

Carl Riddle

Michael Rogers

Beulah Townes

Elaine Weinstein

NPHA’s Open Mic Night!

Please join us Monday, June 21st at 7 PM and let us know what’s on your mind.  What priorities do you have for your neighborhood?  Are there issues you don’t hear discussed enough?  Do you have info or an opinion you’d like to share?   Details of the meeting are below.  As always, if you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at northprospectheights@gmail.com.   __________________________________________________________ NPHA June General Monthly Meeting TIME: Monday, Jun 21, 2021 at 7:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) MEETING REGISTRATION: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82926867044?pwd=R2h2VVd4WHdsa2lkSjR4MkcvSUU1dz09 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. AGENDA:  Please feel free to send suggestions to npha@gmail.com.  We will provide a brief community update and then proceed with an open forum.  __________________________________________________________ Remember to Vote! Voting is underway for the Primary Election for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council on June 22nd.  The early voting period will run until June 20th. To find your early voting location, go here.  The Board of Elections website has a handy map showing wait times at poll stations.  You are required to wear a mask/face covering and maintain 6 feet of distance when entering any Board of Elections facility. Are you confused by ranked choice voting?  Rank The Vote NYC joined NPHA in May for a helpful primer.  If you missed the meeting, you can learn more here.

NPHA May General Meeting

North Prospect Heights Association’s monthly meeting will be Monday, May 24th at 7:00 PM.  

Are you confused by ranked-choice voting?  New York City will be using ranked-choice voting for Primary and Special Elections for the offices of Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President and City Council.  To help you prepare for the upcoming primary elections in June we will be joined by Rank the Vote NYC.  They will give a presentation and answer your questions.

We will also be giving new updates on the 840 Atlantic Avenue and HPD lot developments and discussing community visioning for the future.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please reach out to us at northprospectheights@gmail.com.
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WHEN: Monday, May 24, 2021 07:00 PM 
 Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vduiqpjIrH9T060aL2b1Yt1nDUMpTD935

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

AGENDA:

• Ranked-Choice Voting Presentation
• Community Development Committee Report on developments in two HPD Lots, 840 Atlantic Avenue, as well as future community visioning.

NPHA’s April Meeting

Join us Monday, April 19th at 7:30 PM to meet Brian Paul, Senior Project Manager in New York City Council’s Land Use Division.  

North Prospect Heights is moving toward a number of significant changes in zoning that will affect the density of our area including the HPD lot developments and three current proposals for buildings of 17 stories or more on Atlantic Avenue between Vanderbilt and Grand Avenues.  The city’s process for reviewing changes is the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).  How does ULURP work?  Are there ways ULURP can be improved? 

Mr. Paul has been at New York City Council since 2014.  In his current position he performs analysis of ULURP applications as well as undertakes broader studies of key planning issues.  The Land Use Division is the group of planners and land use attorneys that assist all Council Members in addressing land use and planning issues in their districts. This includes dealing with ULURP applications as well as working with the Speaker, Land Use Committee, Zoning Subcommittee, Landmarks Subcommittee chairs and other members to advance community planning efforts in individual districts and citywide policy solutions.

He will make a presentation on the ULURP process generally, as well as a City Council proposal to modify the ULURP process called PLANNING TOGETHER.  The presentation will be followed by a discussion about ULURP and its relationship to potential changes in our neighborhood.

Would you like to share questions in advance?  Please submit them here.  

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NORTH PROSPECT HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION’S APRIL MEETING

When: Apr 19, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) 

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArcu2sqjkiHN1iMGzX50uoZARTM-4RFp4z

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Prospect Heights Gets Scrubbed!

Residents pitch in to clean Pacific Street.

A very big thank you to all the residents and businesses who worked to make our second Prospect Heights Community Clean Up Day such a success!  

In addition to the many neighbors who cleaned their blocks, at least 125 organized volunteers worked to clean a wide range of targeted areas in Prospect Heights.  The volunteers collected approximately 135 BAGS of garbage.  

Let’s keep up the cooperative efforts!  

The clean up day was co-sponsored by Carlton Avenue Association, Cultural Row Block Association, Friends of the Berms, Greater Prospect Heights Mutual Aid, North Flatbush Business Improvement District, North Prospect Heights Association, Park Place between Carlton and Vanderbilt Block Association, Park Place / Underhill Block Association, Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council, Plaza Street Block Association, Prospect Heights Community Farm, Prospect Place Block Association, and St. Marks Avenue Prospect Heights Community Garden.  

We’d especially like to thank Detective Brian Laffey and P.O. Brian Ferguson from 78th Precinct Community Affairs, the 78th Precinct Explorers, Daniela Adams from Chick-fil-A, and the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) for all of their efforts.  

The photos below show the clean up in five target areas in Prospect Heights: the 78th Precinct self-enforcement zone/Pacific Park construction area; Vanderbilt Avenue; the Park Place/Carlton Avenue intersection, Underhilll Playground, and the southern Underhill Avenue environs.

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Neighborhood Clean Up This Saturday!

Join your neighbors for a community wide clean up tomorrow from 9 to 12 AM!  You can register HERE.

Clean in front of your own building or help clean another area.  The more neighbors pitch in the better.  To join the clean up of a targeted area, meet here at 9 AM:  535 Dean Street, Carlton Avenue/Park Place, 550 Vanderbilt, Underhill Playground, Underhill Avenue/Lincoln Place.

Bring tools and gloves if you can.  Social distancing and masks are required.

To enable street cleaning, parking WILL NOT be allowed in the following locations between 9 and 12 AM on Saturday:

• Pacific Street between Sixth and Carlton Avenues
• Bergen Street between Sixth and Carlton Avenues
• Carlton Avenue between Dean and Pacific Streets
• Note: Because of street work, it is no longer necessary to remove parking on Dean Street.

Please spread the word.  DSNY has arranged for a street sweeper to assist the clean up during this period. It is essential vehicles be moved in order for the streets and sidewalks to be cleaned successfully.

Remember to save the date for North Prospect Heights Association’s next monthly meeting on Monday, April 19th at 7 PM.  Details to follow.

NPHA’s March Meeting

Join us Monday, March 15th at 7:30 to meet the new Commanding Officer of the 78th Precinct, Captain Frantz Souffrant and Mayoral Candidate Kathryn Garcia. Captain Souffrant will be present to get feedback from the community about the 78th Precinct which is located on Sixth Avenue between Bergen and Dean Streets, as well as operations of the NYPD generally.  The precinct defines a self-enforcement zone of approximately seven blocks in the vicinity of the precinct building. These blocks have limited traffic and parking regulation enforcement. This affects the passage of pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles through our area as well as street sanitation. The area was also affected by street closures and barricades during the protests last summer. Would you like to share your ideas, questions or concerns in advance? Submit them HERE.    Kathryn Garcia was Commissioner of the NYC Department of Sanitation from 2014 to 2020. She was also the chief operating officer of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection and in 2019 served as the chief executive officer of the New York City Housing Authority as part of an emergency effort to address lead paint problems. She is currently a candidate in the 2021 Mayoral Election. Would you like to share your ideas, questions and concerns in advance? Submit them HERE.   __________________________________________  NORTH PROSPECT HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION’S MARCH MEETING When: Mar 15, 2021 7:30 to 9:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0oceqtqDIuHd22x4GvyRNma-L77jRZM74k

NPHA’s February Annual Meeting and Community Development Committee Meeting

Please save the dates: Community Development Committee, Wednesday, February 17th An update about our efforts related to HPD’s proposed developments.  Plus what goals should NPHA have for new developments, our quality of life, our streets?  How can we address them?  Are you a tenant concerned about your lease or your landlord?   All NPHA members are welcome. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE: Wednesday, February 17th @ 7:30 PM Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88997533380 NPHA’s annual meeting Monday, Feb. 22nd    Please join us for our virtual meeting in February.  We’ll be holding board elections and discussing our efforts over the last year.   Our bylaws make room for our Board, which currently has nine members, to have fifteen.  NPHA’s goal is to bring together new and long-time residents of Prospect Heights including both property owners and tenants.  We’d love to hear your voice on our board.  If you are interested in joining, please let us know! NPHA ANNUAL MEETING DATE: Monday, February 22nd @ 7:30 PM   Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpdeyhqzwpGN21UqTwmS6PD762LenvDd9P

________________________________________  From our North Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District neighbors: We encourage you to take this opportunity to show some love for North Flatbush Avenue businesses! Here’s how you can participate:  Write an acknowledgement of your favorite North Flatbush Avenue business (Flatbush Avenue from Atlantic to Grand Army Plaza and adjacent triangle intersections), and tag @northflatbushbk and with the hashtag #SmallBusinessSweetie. This can be:A screen-shot of a positive review you’ve left on Google, Yelp, Seamless, etcA selfie inside (or outside) the businessA photo of one of your favorite products. Be sure to tag @northflatbushbk and include the hashtag #SmallBusinessSweetie ! Twice a week NFBID will pick a random participant to receive a $25 gift certificate to that small business, courtesy of North Flatbush Avenue BID.  Your North Flatbush Avenue Neighbors Need You Now!  No doubt many of you heard about the recent travesty that impacted our neighbors at 71-73 Saint Marks Avenue/ 267 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn New York. A fire tore through the upper floors of the building displacing residents of nine apartments and causing intense damage to the building and ground floor business, Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQ. We are assured to know that there were no injuries or fatalities. But there are people that are hurting and could use our support. The Executive Committee of the North Flatbush Avenue BID Board of Directors has recently approved the creation of an Emergency Support Fund and to be stewards of this fundraising opportunity. The intention of this fund is to aid:completely or partially furloughed employees of Morgan’s Brooklyn BBQany of the nine 71//73 Saint Marks Avenue Flatbush Avenue households that identify as in need of assistance.Click HERE to make a contribution!