New leadership; policing in Prospect Heights

Thank you to everyone who joined in our meeting last night. The discussion about our experiences and feelings involving the police presence in Prospect Heights was as needed as it was moving, and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who contributed to the conversation. As promised, below is information on the various follow up items that came out of yesterday’s call:

NPHA leadership and elections  

NPHA is dedicated to outreach and community participation.  Because of the challenge of holding an election during the emergency conditions produced by the COVID-19 pandemic, we postponed our annual board election this spring and scheduled a new election for this upcoming October.  After a year of hard work helping NPHA build, Cathy Iselin and Elaine Weinstein have stepped down as Co-Presidents of NPHA.  They remain on the NPHA board.  Our new interim Co-Presidents are Alyssa Keil and Linda Wilson.  If you are interested in learning more about our board, or how you can join, please let us know!

Slack channel

NPHA members use SLACK to share information and ideas with each other.  You can join our Slack channel by emailing us at the address below.

Next Meeting Re: Policing in Prospect Heights

We are very excited about continuing last night’s conversation at another meeting. We are working on finalizing possible times for our next meeting and will be following up shortly. Additionally, if you have any other thoughts on the current state of policing in the neighborhood or possible ways we can move forward that you would prefer to share directly with the Board, feel free to respond to us at the email below.

Community Development Committee Meeting 

Everyone is welcome to join the Community Development Committee.  It will meet Monday, June 22nd at 7 PM.   It will discuss new information from HPD about development at its two sites, as well as Atlantic Yards and M-Crown.  Details to follow.

All the best,
The North Prospect Heights Association Board 
northprospectheights@gmail.com

NPHA’s June Virtual Meeting

Please join NPHA on June 15th at 7pm for a virtual meeting to discuss:

• Your opinion on the increased police presence in our neighborhood
• Interactions you have had with the police in the neighborhood, historically and currently
• NYPD’s lack of use of required PPE (face masks)

During the last three weeks, Prospect Heights has seen an exponential increase in police presence and activity, and no one can deny that this has had an impact on our environment and lives. Our neighborhood has been a center for the protests that have swept the world around police brutality and racial injustice. It is stirring to see neighbors step out of their homes to applaud protesters as they pass by.  Many of us are joining in the protests. In response to the protests, parts of the northern part of Prospect Heights are barricaded off from others.  Some of us are asked to show IDs.  Sidewalks have been blocked off at major intersections for police barricades.

North Prospect Heights Association has signed onto a neighborhood letter to Mayor de Blasio that decries the escalation in police response to protest activity, asks for a ban on the requirement of government-issued identification to access our homes, and for the freedom to roam for residents and non-residents alike.  It also asks for meaningful engagement with local community and civic organizations where protest activity is taking place, to allow local residents to dictate what safety should look like.

We want to hear from the community about their feelings and experiences regarding the police officers and barricades now stationed on our blocks. While we encourage all neighbors to voice their opinions, we particularly hope to center the voices and experiences of our black and brown neighbors who often absorb the brunt of aggressive and unjust police behavior.

Please join us this coming Monday.   If you cannot make the meeting, or you would like to share ideas or concerns in advance, please email us at northprospectheights@gmail.com.

NPHA’S JUNE MEETING

DATE: Monday, June 15th
TIME: 7:00 PM
AGENDA:  Protests for racial justice and their implications for our neighborhood.To join the conversation, please register for our discussion on Zoom by following this link.

NPHA’s UPCOMING MEETING SCHEDULE

Monday, July 13th (tentative)

Join Us in Decrying Racism and Police Brutality

Join North Prospect Heights Association in signing an individual and organizational letter to Mayor de Blasio that responds to protests against harsh and unjust policing, and calls for NYPD accountability.

The members of our association work hard to make our neighborhood a vital and welcoming place for everyone.  Both the COVID-19 pandemic and recent  episodes of police brutality captured on camera have spotlighted structural racism and economic injustice in our neighborhood and our country.  Our response to these inequities to join with the protesters to affirm: Black Lives Matter.

From the letter: “As organizations who have committed to ensuring that our neighborhoods remain places where commerce, retail, livability and safety are actualized, we will not settle for harsh policing as the answer — not now, not in our neighborhoods, and not in our City.”

Among other steps, the letter calls for a de-escalation in response to protesters and respect for their rights, meaningful engagement with local community and civic organizations where protest activity is taking place, and a commitment to reduce the NYPD’s almost 6 billion budget in this time of economic crisis so that crucial services, programs and infrastructure are not reduced.

Along with NPHA, other organizational signatories are the Greater Prospect Heights Mutual Aid Society, the PS9 Parent-Teachers Association, Crown Heights North Association, Clinton Hill/Fort Greene Mutual Aid, Boerum Hill & Downtown Brooklyn Mutual Aid.

Read the letter and sign on.

 

Atlantic Yards / Pacific Park Quality of Life Meeting

DATE: Tuesday, June 9, 2020
TIME: 6:00 PM
Via Zoom Virtual Conferencing
https://zoom.us/j/97823735305
Dial In: +16465588656,,97823735305#
Meeting ID: 97823735305Do you have concerns about the project’s plans or implementation?  Is construction causing problems for your family?Please send Project related questions and suggested agenda items toAtlanticYards@esd.ny.gov

NPHA’s Upcoming Meeting Schedule

Monday, June 15th (tentative)
Monday, July 13th (tentative)