Say NO to:
LESS parking (think Musical Chairs of parking spots),
(Kingsboro=1090 units with no onsite parking)
LESS safety, LESS harassment from unstable persons
LESS safety from unstable persons
( More than 50% or 791/1454 of Kingsboro units & beds will target homeless )
( Exactly 50% or 133/266 of Kingsbrook units will target homeless )
( Exactly 50% or 164/328 of Clarkson Estates units will target homeless )
( 27% or 89/322 units of Utica Crescent will target homeless which is still above the 15% homeless set aside mark passed into law by NYC Council.
LESS oversaturation and segregation of homeless and social service housing
( Vital Brooklyn is a TROJAN HORSE of DISGUISED HOMELESS DUMPING beyond one neighborhood's Fair Share, more than NYC's 15% set aside policy and is not Fair and Equitable Housing )
LESS 3BR apts for families
LESS contextual development
(Kingsboro = max height of 150 ft or 15 stories)
LESS gentrification
(changed political demographics will change election results)
LESS permanent good jobs,
LESS homeowners,
LESS peace and quiet
(more traffic and overcrowded public transportation),
LESS community engagement
(no posted signs, no community board review)
LESS neighborhood, more City
(Manhattanization of E Flatbush)
LESS quality of life.
Join long-time residents for a discussion on community issues and solutions.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Community Board action
Government Investigations & Studies
Community Engagement
Stronger Tighter Neighborhood
"Home Rule" (Local district makes its own decisions)
Neighborhood Home Rule: Neighborhood deference
Mutual Self-Defense Pact between Neighborhoods
Join us in our efforts to STOP
Oversaturation of Homeless Services,, Overcrowding, More Traffic
Loss of Street Parking for Residents &
Loss of Street Parking for Events at
Old Boys and Girls HS Field
Email: jaysorid@aol.com
In 2017, before she was the AG, former NYC Public Advocate Letisha James came to Crown Heights for a Town Hall Meeting on the proposed Rogers Ave Homeless Shelter, and said the following:
"The reality is, is that this community has been dumped on... The reality is that we have taken in our fair share... Don't be mistaken..., this Public Advocate, came from this neighborhood, stands with this neighborhood and will be with this neighborhood for 10 years, she poured her heart and soul into this neighborhood and will not go in the opposite direction, not while I am alive, and not while I am your public servant."
(AG Letisha James has to sign off on 681 Clarkson Ave which rebuilds the 364 bed homeless shelter and builds another 1090 units of new housing (including 427 new supportive beds) without any onsite parking spaces.)
Question: Why should one neighborhood be burdened with more than it's fair share in order to solve the entire city's problems?
Proposed New Construction
Utica Crescent - Rutland & Utica
322 Units total
832 Rutland Rd - 12 Stories
Includes 89 Supportive Units
plus 233 Non-supportive Units
30 Parking Spots Total
21 Three BR Units
28,000 commercial sq ft plus
20,000 sq ft Supermarket
Kingsboro West - Albany & Clarkson
1090 Units total
681 Clarkson Ave - 15 Stories
Includes 427 Supportive Units
plus 662 Non-Supportive Units
plus Rebuilding 364 Shelter Beds
Zero Parking Units
Unknown Amount of Three BR Units
38,378 Commercial Sq Ft plus
8062 sq ft Supermarket
Kingsbrook Estates - Rutland & Schenectady
266 Units total
West of 832 Rutland - 5 stories
Includes 133 Supportive Units
plus 133 Non-Supportive Units
27 Parking Spots
12 Three Bedroom Units
7403 Commercial Sq Ft (Ambulatory Center)
Clarkson Estates - Clarkson & NY Ave
328 Units total
329 Clarkson Ave - 9 stories
Includes 162 Supportive Units
plus 164 Non-Supportive Units
80 Parking Spots
26 Three Bedroom Units
38,378 Commercial Sq Ft
777 Rutland Rd - Schenectady & Rutland Rd
182 Units total
12 Stories
Includes 30 Homeless Units
plus 152 Non-Supportive Units
Zero Parking Spots
Zero Three Bedroom Units
12,741 Commercial Sq Ft
Community Board "CB" 17 Proposed Rezoning Plan Request
Orange areas on the map = downzoned
Pink areas on the map = upzoned
CB 17 Board proposed Rezoning Plan dated 06/29.
Upzones Utica Ave (right now commercial only) to allow nine stories residential from Lennox up to East New York Ave.
Upzones Northern parts of New York Ave (R7A) - nine stories residential
Upzones Northern parts of Rogers Ave - nine stories residential
Upzones Rockaway Parkway, to allow nine stories residential buildings
Upzones 98th Street
Will add 3800 units, even though City is only asking CB for for 3000.
This is being rushed with very little community engagement and CB 17 is looking to vote this request letter through at the Sept 20, 2023 General Board meeting.
Adjacent blocks to the upzonings will have parking surge issues, shadows and gentrification issues.
Vital Brooklyn and other affordable housing developments in East Flatbush are a trojan horse for homeless dumping and overdevelopment without appropriate onsite parking.
The Vital Brooklyn "hurricane" will make landfall at Clarkson & New York Ave and travel eastward on its path of social service oversaturation.
The supportive housing population of 868 will spiral up 843 units to a sky high number of 1711 units.
The parking tsunami of 1313 non-supportive affordable housing units with only 57 onsite parking spots will spill over and flood nearby streets. The two supermarkets and addition of commercial feet will make Brooklyn feel like Manhattan.
Families are left out with only about 5% of the new housing units being 3 BR apartments. A disproportionately high amount of new housing units (close to 50%) are being built for social services (formerly homeless, homeless, supportive housing). Kingsboro West, the largest new development of 1090 units, still has yet to disclose bedroom size counts. This is not Fair Housing for All. It's Housing for Special Interests who receive massive government subsidies to segregate the disabled on Clarkson Ave.
The big winners of Vital Brooklyn are the two local social service providers, CAMBA and Breaking Ground, who will expand their existing real estate portfolios on Clarkson Ave.
The losers are those who leave the neighborhood because there's no parking spots, too many panhandlers, not enough 3 BR apts for families and not enough jobs to replace the ones that were replaced by "affordable housing". You will see CEO's with shovels in photo-ops, lots of young bright eyed Ivy league volunteers who want to help save the world, elected officials complimenting each other, but at the end of the day, none of who are in favor of Vital Brooklyn projects would volunteer their own neighborhoods for the kind of homeless dumping, parking problems and overcrowding that will be coming to Clarkson Ave and the Kingsbrook vicinity.
Kingsboro West already has two existing mens' homeless shelters which house sex offenders. Here are the schools listed on page 10 of the Kingsboro West Enviromental Assessment Statement, (Question E(1)(d)(i)), within 1500 feet of 681 Clarkson Ave:
1. P.S. 235 Janice Marie Knight School, 525 Lenox Rd
2. Middle School of the Arts, 790 East New York Ave
3. New Heights Middle School, 790 East New York Ave
4. Achievement First Crown Heights School, 790 East New York Ave
5. George Wingate H.S. Campus, School for Human Rights, 600 Kingston Ave
6. P.S. 397 Foster Laurie Elementary School, 490 Fenimore St
7. Darchai Menachem Boys School (Yeshiva), 432 Rutland Rd
8. Bnos Chomesh Academy, (Lubavitch Girls HS), 588 Brooklyn Ave
9. East Flatbush Ascend Lower School, 870 Albany Ave
10. Friends of Crown Heights Education Center #4, 141 E 40th Street
11. South Brooklyn Academy, 418 E 45th St
12. Apple Tree Day Care, 440 E 48th St
13. P.S. 135 Sheldon A Brookner, 684 Linden Blvd
Ways to Fight This
1) Block Associations - join or form one
2) Community Board
a) Committees - Join the Housing and/or Land Use Committee of CB 9 ( in person) or CB 17 (virtual ).
Issues that the Community Board decides come from Committees. Committees can originate and debate the issues. The General Board decides the issues before them.
1) have Community Board ask for a Residential Supportive Housing Beds Analysis by District, Neighborhood Tabulation Area and Census tract area
2) have committee vote on resolutions calling on elected officials to take a stand, and approve or disapprove projects or buildings
3) demand a Town Hall meeting
b) General Board - individuals get 3 min to speak during the Public Comment Session ( segment) . Speak out.
CB 9 is In Person Only). CB 17 is Hybrid (In Person & Virtual)
3) Call up a TV news station.
4) Political Action: Inform others about next year's June'24 primary and who you will NOT be voting for.
Familiarize yourself with NYC Board of Election certified results and the small the margin of victory
5) Legal action: join with others to take legal action on environmental law issues and Civil Right's housing issues.(e.g. segregating the disabled in one part of town - Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing - Fair Housing Law)
6) Inform Parent Teach Associations
7) Inform religious groups (churches, shuls, mosques, etc)
8) inform people using Old Boys& Girls HS Field what's coming and how they will lose their parking
9) Inform residents in apartment buildings who may not have their own parking spots
10) Demand NYS Assemblyman Cunningham get off the fence and have a Town Hall to explain the benefits of singling out one neighborhood for massive homeless dumping, gentrification and loss of parking. Ask the cheerleaders of rebuilding the Kingsboro shelters where they live. AG Letisha James must sign off on 681 Clarkson.
11) Demand that the Kingsboro Shelters (364 residential beds) be rebuilt at Riker's Island ( which is closing and has land) rather than 681 Clarkson Ave, which is across the street and just east of 328 CAMBA supportive housing units and the 110 shelter beds at nearby 781 Clarkson Ave.
( see map above for more)
12) Demand that Breaking Ground have criminal background checks for supportive housing and shelter residents. Demand that Breaking Ground not replace the current curfew policy at 681 Clarkson Shelters with the no curfew shelter policy it has at it's 781 Clarkson Ave shelter. "There are no curfews and more privacy".
13) Send your contact info to: saynotoless203@gmail.com
Summary of Projects
SUMMARY
NEW PROJECTS
Formerly Homeless and or
Supportive Housing Units / Total
( Percentage )
Kingsboro 427 / 1090
681 Clarkson Ave (39%)
Kingsboro with Shelter Beds
Assuming 1 Bed = 1 Unit
681 Clarkson 791 / 1454
427 units + 364 shelter beds (54%)
Utica Crescent 89 / 322
832 Rutland Rd (27%)
Kingsbrook Estates 133 / 266
Just west of 832 Rutland (50%)
777 Rutland Rd 30 / 182
Schenectady Corner (16%)
(Not a Vital Brooklyn Project)
Clarkson Estates 164 / 328
329 Clarkson Ave (50%)
------------------------------
Total New Units 843
(Excludes Shelter Bed Rebuld )
Total Old Units 868
------------------------------
Total New & Old Units 1711
SUMMARY
EXISTING / OLD PROJECTS
Homeless, Formerly Homeless, Supportive Housing Units
Totals For Old Units & Beds:
CAMBA Gardens I 146 units
690 & 638 Albany Av
CAMBA Gardens II 182 units
560 Winthrop Av
Kingsboro & Star Shelters 364 beds
681 Clarkson
Breaking Ground 110 units
781 Clarkson Av
Maple Street Residence 66 units
918 ENY Av
----------------------------------------
Total Units & Beds 868 units & beds
SUMMARY
NEW HOUSING PROJECTS
THREE Bedroom Units / Total Units:
Kingsboro *
? / (1090) =
Utica Crescent
21 / 322 = 7%
777 Rutland Rd
0 / 182 = 0%
Clarkson Estates
26 / 328 = 8%
Kingsbrook Estates
12 / 266 = 5%
------------------
Total Units & Units
59 / 1098 = 5%
* Kingsboro: Unknown BRs Count
SUMMARY
Affordable Housing
Non-Supportive Housing Totals
For New Units /
Dedicated On-site Parking Spaces
Kingsboro * 662 / 0
Utica Crescent * 233 / 30
777 Rutland Rd * 152 / 0
Kingsbrook Estates 266 / 27
-------------------------
Total Units & Units 1313 / 57
1313 -57 = 1256 units w/o parking
( Plus Above Total Commercial: 99,378 sq feet )
Residential Parking Spot Shortfall DOES NOT Include Parking Spots Needed for Commercial Uses
* Kingsboro - 15 parking spots will be shared by a 8062 sq ft grocery & 38,378 sq ft of community facility space
* Utica Crescent - 30 parking spots will also be shared by a 20,000 sq ft grocery store, 18,000 sq ft community facility & a 10,000 sq ft ambulatory center.
I could have assumed 0 spots since 30 parking spots can easily be taken up by the 20,000 sq ft grocery store, based upon Kingsboro's 15 parking spots for a 8062 sq ft grocery.
* 777 Rutland Rd - 0 parking spots will be shared by 13,000 commercial sq ft
* Clarkson Estates - I am not including this development in a parking analysis since it is very close to the Nostrand Ave subway line and therefore may have people who mostly take the subway. Nevertheless, there will be 80 parking spots for 164 affordable housing/non-supportive units which will be shared by 38,378 sq ft of commercial space.
* Since all of Brooklyn CB 9 is a transit zone, on-site parking spots are optional
New Development # 1
Kingsboro West - New - Proposed
681 Clarkson Ave - 15 stories
(Albany & Clarkson)
Vital Brooklyn - NYS UDC Action - Eminent Domain -
* * * Attorney General James must sign off on this and the others
Where is she now ?
A) Supportive Housing Units and Shelter Beds Combined Total: 791
791 = 427 supportive/formerly homeless units plus rebuilding 364 existing shelter beds
427 supportive units = 326 supportive units plus 101 former homeless seniors
(supportive housing seniors: 55 years old & up or 62 years old & up)
326 supportive units breakdown = 136 chronically homeless, 139 mental health units,
25 young adults (ages 18-25), approx 26 units aging out of foster care
101 Formerly Homeless Seniors = 337 Seniors X 0.3 ( 30% formerly homeless)
B) Affordable (non-homeless) Units Total : 622 with zero onsite parking spots
622 = 427 General Population Units plus 235 ( 337 Seniors X 0.7 )
1,033,039 residential sq ft, approx 38,378 community sq ft
plus 8092 sq ft supermarket with 15 onsite parking spots
C) Three Bedroom Units = ???
D) Parking Spots = Zero Spots for Residential
E) Amount of time community was Kept in the Dark about project details:
July 9, 2021 - Press Release Date
Jan 10, 2023 - Community Board 9 Presentation Date
( The Kingsboro proposal of the developer submitted to NYS Empire State Development ("ESD") required there to be immediate engagement with the Community Board and stakeholders) See page 122 of the Original Sparro Proposal
F) Total Anticipated Cost of Project: $446 million
New Development # 2
Utica Crescent - New - Proposed
832 Rutland Av - 12 Stories
(Rutland & Utica)
Vital Brooklyn - NYS UDC Action - Eminent Domain
A) Supportive Housing Units / Homeless Seniors: 89 Units
B) Affordable (non-homeless) Units Total: 233 Units
20,000 sq ft supermarket & 18,000 commercial sq ft
C) Three Bedroom Units: 20 / 320 = 6%
D) Parking - Only 33 onsite parking spots for everything
E) Amount of time community was Kept in the Dark about project:
Press Release Date: July 17, 2020
Community Board 9 Presentation Date - May 18, 2023
Community Board 17 Presentation Date - February 23, 2023
New Development # 3
777 Rutland Rd - 12 Stories
(Rutland & Schenectady)
ULURP Upzoning Request from R6 to R7X Zoning and Removing Deed Restriction
(Brooklyn Community Board 9 will give advisory opinion to NYC Council)
City Councilwoman Darlene Mealy will eventually vote on this.
A) Supportive Housing Units and Shelter for Formerly Homeless / Supportive with Mental Health Diagnosis : 30
B) Affordable (non-homeless) Units Total: 152
12 Stories - 180,929 total sq ft
154,436 residential sq ft - 12,741 commercial sq ft
21,752 Church sq ft - 3044 Church sq ft parking
C) Three Bedrooms: ZERO
D) Parking spots: ZERO
New Development # 4
Clarkson Estates - New - Proposed
329 Clarkson Ave - 9 stories
(Clarkson Ave between New York & Nostrand)
A) Supportive Housing Units / Formerly Homeless Units:
164 Supportive Units producing 217 supportive beds
Formerly Incarcerated, Foster Youth, Homeless Young Adults, Formerly Homeless Families
164 units / 328 units = 50%
B) Affordable Housing (non-supportive) units: 164 units
32,000 sq ft community facility - 80 onsite parking spots
C) Three bedroom Units: 10 / 328 units = 3%
D) Amount of time community was Kept in the Dark about project details:
July 22, 2020 - Press Release Date
May 10, 2022 - Brooklyn Community Board 9 Presentation
New Development # 5
KIngsbrook Estates - New - Proposed
Just West of 832 Rutland Rd
(Kingsbrook Jewish)
(Rutland & Schenectady)
A) Supportive Housing Units / Formerly Units:
133 Total Supportive Units
Disabled Military Veterans (19 units)
Frail Elderly (57 units) (55 & older)
Intellectually & Developmentally Disabled (IDD) (57 units)
133 units / 266 units = 50%
B) Affordable Housing (non-supportive) units: 133 units
7403 Sq ft Ambulatory Care Center
C) Three bedroom Units: 12 / 266 units = 5%
D) Parking = 27 parking spots
E) Amount of time community was Kept in the Dark about project details:
July 09 2021 - Press Release Date
Existing Development # 2
CAMBA Gardens II
560 Winthrop St
(SE Corner of Albany & Winthrop)
(Across the street from 681 Clarkson - Kingsboro)
182 units are supportive housing for
formerly homeless families & individuals / special needs
182 / 293 = 62%
CAMBA I (146 units) plus CAMBA II (182 units) = 328 units
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