By Jay Sorid
Brooklyn CB 9 Housing Committee Member / Kingsbrook Jewish Shul Member
Merrick, NY
NYS Empire State Development (“ESD”) is in the process of bringing affordable housing to the Crown Heights Community, at 681 Clarkson Ave (NE Corner of Albany and Clarkson). The project is also called Kingsboro West aka Sparrow.
New Parking Problems – As per NYS ESD’s Draft Scope, 681 Clarkson aka Kingsboro will create 764 units of general housing, consisting of approximately 101 homeownership units with 663 affordable housing rentals. That’s the good news. The bad news will be ZERO parking spots for 764 units, which is unfortunately allowed according to the NYC Zoning Code.
There will be 38,378 of community space plus an 8092 sq ft grocery store. For all this, there will only be 15 parking spots for community space plus the grocery store.
New Homeless Dumping – As per NYS ESD’s Draft Scope, 681 Clarkson aka Kingsboro will have 326 units of new supportive housing units for the formerly homeless or homeless. The two old existing homeless shelters will be rebuilt and contain 364 beds. Add them up, and you have at least 690 homeless beds, or four homeless facilities on just the east side of Albany and Clarkson. There will be open entrances to 681 Clarkson Ave from Winthrop, not just Clarkson.
Other Homeless Facilities on Clarkson Ave & Vicinity
Across the street, on the west side of Albany and Clarkson, there are already two existing CAMBA Buildings containing 328 units of supportive housing.
At 781 Clarkson Ave, between Utica and Albany, Breaking Ground built a 110 unit transitional residence for homeless individuals in 2017.
At 329 Clarkson ( NY Av & Clarkson), CAMBA will soon be building 146 units for the formerly homeless.
At 599 Utica Av, across from Dunkin Donuts, just north of Winthrop, is the Utica Hotel css, which is listed on google maps as a homeless shelter.
Many of the owners in Harry Silver Coop are not happy since most use off-street parking
NYS AG Letisha James has to sign off and approve this project.
Environmental & Land Use Process for 681 Clarkson
Because this is NYS land and a “blighted neighborhood”, there is no ULURP which means no NYC Council approval is needed for this. This project is going to create parking problems and the developers know it. That’s why this project requires an Environmental Impact Statement(“EIS”). The Public Meeting for the Draft EIS will be this Jan 19, 2023 from 6pm to 8 pm on ZOOM.
If unchecked, the development on Albany & Clarkson will repeat itself until it gets to Utica Ave.
The oversaturation of homeless presents an existential problem that will be around for generations if ignored. The addition of 764 units with zero parking at Kingsboro will take away vital off-street parking.
Legal Ways to Fight this
The Request for Proposal for this project was based upon former Assemblywoman Diana Richardson Community Advisory Meetings for the 43rd District – All the public meetings were held on Saturdays which is a due process issue for Orthodox Jews. Additionally, the majority of the Community Advisory Members of the 43rd Assembly District Council did not live in the 43 District, based upon my searches on whiepages.com – that could be a due process reason to force this back to ULURP and NYC council review.
The deed for 681 Clarkson contains a right of reverter which is a real property interest which according to the NYS Urban Development Act Section 14 requires that the City Council approve the sale of any NYC real property interest. I recently asked NYS Assemblyman Cunningham at a BK CB9 Housing Committee meeting to ask the NYS AG for a legal opinion on this issue. NYS AG sent the NYS Assemblyman Cunningham an unsigned email with a link on unrelated topics of foreclosure defense for homeowners and deed theft, which was then forwarded to me, since I asked the question.
So, to those big ‘machers’ in Crown Heights who held the fundraisers for Tish James in the past, now is your chance to collect some dues by getting in touch with her and continue the vision of Greater Crown Heights.
NYS Empire State Development is going to give a ZOOM presentation for 681 Clarkson at the Brooklyn Community Board 9 Housing Committee, tonight – Monday, Jan 9, 2023 at 7pm. Calendar – Brooklyn Community Board 9 (nyc.gov) (Google Brooklyn Community Board 9, then go to Calendar, and then look for the Housing Committee Meeting Zoom Info. )
There is strength in numbers.
You don’t need the politicians “thoughts and prayers” when something happens in the future.
You need the politicians to start choosing advocacy over party loyalty.
Tell NYS AG James to fight against NYS eminent domain law, like she did when she was in City Council.
Tell Mayor Eric Adams, that there needs to be more affordable housing for 3 bedroom apartments for families, not his “City of Yes Housing Plan which requires more studios and one bedrooms for real estate developers pocketbooks.
Tell City Councilperson Darlene Mealy that she should have never signed off on Mayor Diblasio’s ZQA in 2016 that made all of Crown Heights a transit zone which does not require on-street parking for affordable housing.
Follow the Chinese example in NYC – they protested a proposed NYC Homeless Shelter and got the City to cancel it.
If you believe in the concept of Am Yisrael Chai, show up tonight on Zoom, and let the politicians know that you know what they are doing, and Crown Heights will not be sacrificed for their political ambitions.
——
To concerned community members of Crown Heights.
There will be a important zoom meeting tonight regarding the massive Homeless Shelters complex by 681 Clarkson Ave and multiple other locations in South CH to build different homeless shelters.
Zoom meeting tonight Monday January 9 at 7pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85063589854
Meeting ID: 850 6358 9854
(Join by phone call, Call 646-558-8656)
We were all warn and told not to support the Democrats .
We don’t have the numbers to elect the right people (or they tell people they are not registered to vote- all that nonsense), the only options are suing to get the drug shelters out, or/and publicizing this to the large news outlets. They are clearly trying to destroy our community
Instead of fighting this, why don’t we utilize some of this for the frum community? We definitely need frum housing for the elderly or those with mental health challenges. We can take advantage of this to support our own community.
Also when we take care of our neighbors and support their health we support the whole community.
Get real, Its not worth if even if ten jews win the lottery to get in. The pain is not worth the gain.
This is not for elderly. Its very dangerous for an elderly person.
Its very hard to live in a homeless shelter, especially if you are targeted as a jew.
Also its a lottery that imports people and homeless from all over nyc homeless
We must stop this. it affects many young families which just invested tremendously in buying on the outskirts of CH to expend the shcuna. More disturbed homeless individuals is a huge threat to the community at large.
Also a opening on Troy will destroy that side in addition to Albany which already looks like zombie town.
Every block around that area has to get together all the families and do what they can to stop this. This is our future, This is our children and grandchildren living in the area. And for those of us living in central crown heights don’t think you are safe from this. These people go up and down the streets as we see already from the other shelters around the neighborhood. These people walk amongst our women and children on kingston, sit in the parks ( Lefferts, rutland etc) that our children play in. Do your part and show up. Arrange… Read more »
Block association is perfect – take a picture with 100 Jews and 100 African Americans and you would shake the political Establishment because it would be on every news channel ..the public would east it up…. please email me – I have been in contact with a block association in East Flatbush who has media contacts and is against this.
Jay
[email protected]
Yes, the Jewish & African Community & residents of this area jointly oppose to these new drug infested crime shelters.
We both want beautiful and safe streets, we need to team up with our goyishe friends and neighbors in south CH and demand no new drug shelters.
On a similar note, I hear our friends in Park Slope would love to have these drug shelters instead, let’s give them the honors, there are many viable locations in park slope.
*The Jewish & African American community jointly oppose the shelter.
I do not live on that side of town but I have young married children that do. THIS IS A SAKANA FOR THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. Are you a father of one of the many young families living in that area then please SHOW UP ! do your part. Post it on your whatsapp block chat. There are powers in numbers. The future of that side of Crown heights and the rest of the neighborhood is in your hands. Our children’s safety is being compromised by this inordinate amount of homeless coming to town. THere is already so many homeless crawling… Read more »
Yasher Koach to Mr Jay Sorid for bringing this to our attention. There is only until February 5 to give in a WRITTEN comment against this project. Where and how do we send our thoughts to?
Why were we told to vote for her? Why did this community make such a fuss over her??.
Nobody I know voted for these people
I am on the zoom now, They are selling this project under “access to fresh food,” “health and wellness and other nice terms such as workforce development.” What is really will bring is more 1-More crime 2- unsafe parks for our children 3- Crime 4- Our women and girls being scared to walk down albany/troy from programs etc at night and many more issues. Wake up friends.
Isn’t this the kind of thing they should be fighting for, if not this then what exactly are they doing ?!
The JCC voted for the lousy Mayor, Council, Senate, etc that won elections. If there’s no money or photo op in it for them, unfortunately, CH ain’t Williamsburg – when it comes to fighting for our neighborhood.
Photo op was made for diane richardson as they told everyone to vote for her.
Richardson in return sponsored this and made all meetings about it on saturdays.
Thats how she repaid us
Please tell us where we can send our protest and who should we contact.
Thank you very much
I’m so impressed at the huge turnout of our community at this Zoom event tonight. Everyone brought up great concerns. The last attendee to voice his concerns mentioned (paraphrasing) how this is the heart / HQ of our community and that there is nowhere else we can go in Brooklyn to be near the heart / HQ of our community. Whereas there are jillions of other places that this homeless / addict-housing gargantuan project can be placed. One of heads of this meeting became very warm to this last Jewish community member and expressed his appreciation towards our community. The… Read more »
Jay, Maybe make some kind of group we can all get involved in to try and do something about this.
Yes, Make a WhatsApp Group for concerned CH Residents on ideas to fight against the new shelters.
People suffering from homelessness are being given homes – they will cease to be homeless. This is a huge social issue – people are living on the street, and are being given an opportunity to get off of the street! It’s clear that we need more housing of every type, and getting people off of the street is an objective good. These are human being, בצלם אלקים, and all everyone is concerned about is their parking spots.
The tzelem elokim homeless people can find shelter elsewhere. Our girls and women don’t have to be attacked on the street.
It’s already extremely dangerous over there and they’re wanting to create a huge place to bring in even more homeless people and addicts. They said that they don’t include parking since it’s “under-utilized” at their other crime-housing sites. See, that tells you that they do not know what this neighborhood is now. It is now an overflow from our CH community where many beautiful families have moved and most of whom have large vehicles that need to park. It is also a safety issue when all these parents are circling forever trying to find parking when their babies need to… Read more »
Sadly. Many homeless are out in the streets bc of UNtreated mental illness. Social workers, police & well-meaning volunteers go out on bitter cold nights to bring them in out of the cold but the majority don’t cooperate & prefer the streets. There is a very long & awful history of how NY came to this point and it takes much more than “housing” to solve it.
[email protected]
Email them!!!!
Also everyone please call assemblyman
Brian Cunningham office. We all went out to vote for him now let’s see if he will speak for our concerns.
Albany Office
LOB 631
Albany, NY 12248
[email protected]
518-455-5262
Brooklyn office
1-718-771-3105
His office is a waste as is most of our representatives. His staff doesn’t respond to his constituents. Myrie’s staff is even worse. Still waiting for a hearing after bringing issues to his office in 2019. The question is how can we hold these elected officials accountable. We rallied, protested and screamed when they were closing the beds at Kingsbrook Hospital, to no avail. Residents of 11203 have to travel to Brookdale or Interfaith for services. Where are the 30 something Ambulatory Clinics that were promised under One Brooklyn Health?
These address are not the only new homeless shelters being proposed in Crown Heights.
There is also
777 Rutland Rd
808 Rutland Rd
832 Rutland Rd
681 Albany Ave
(Google all the different addresses for the plans on each homeless shelter)
Can someone in the community please look into this.
There’s also Kingsbrook Estates stretching from Schenectady and Rutland to Utica Ave and down Utica Ave, taking away the very reason the shareholders of Harry Silver Coop have lived in this community for over 70 years. There will be mass chaos in this community if our elected officials do not step up and do their job. Gov Hochul and Mayor Adams cannot tell the people of this neighborhood what they need. How the hell can Clarkson Ave be considered “blighted” and “underutilized.” This is absurd. I forgot to mention that there’s also hundreds of units being built on East New… Read more »
Jay, Thank You for letting our community know about this.
Please inform our community of what the next steps can be taken to fight against this insanity, More legal or lawsuit options and other ideas.
You got the entire community supporting you.
With all due respect to the non profit homeless provider “Breaking Ground” representative. I was on the Zoom meeting. In a well spoken excuse to claim that the current lawlessness & crime from homeless in south CH is not their fault. “Breaking Ground” representative claimed that “Breaking Ground” does NOT currently manage any homeless shelters in 11203. Total flat out lie, Breaking Ground not for profit organization CURRENTLY manages and runs a crime ridden zombie infested homeless shelter at 781 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn NY 11203. (Between Schenectady and Utica Aves) I know this first hand because my cousin was the… Read more »
I was the facilitator of support groups at Kingsbrook for many years and those buildings were used for supportive housing. Why were they turned over to Breaking Ground? I remember our Assemblywoman facilitating a meeting at Kingsbrook Jewish to fool the community into believing that it was a good thing to bring all these homeless people into CH. These people are being bussed into this neighborhood from Brighton Beach, Sunset Park, Dyker Heights etc. They are not from this neighborhood. The Gov in her wisdom will then decide that the City is not collecting enough taxes from CH and declare… Read more »
There’s a shelter similar to this on Eastern Parkway and Troy. The people housed there drink alcohol on the street. They urinate on the sidewalk and litter constantly. They harass passersby for cigarettes, change, and they make unwelcome comments. During the summer months, the area smells and looks like a bathroom and the body odor is horrendous.