By TATYANA BELLAMY-WALKER
Ten protestors were arrested as housing activists blocked New York City Housing Authority headquarters on Thursday, blasting Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo after the city approved high-priced luxury condos in Crown Heights that they termed a speed-up to gentrification.
The arrests were peaceful and orderly.
The City’s Planning Commission approved the controversial Bedford-Union Armory Project 11-1 on Monday to redevelop the century-old World War I site in Brooklyn into 330 luxury apartments including 60 condos that are above market-rate prices.
Last year, Crown Heights residents kicked-off a long-time battle with local gentrifiers — BFC Partners and Slate Property Group, developers that plan to build a 500,000-square-foot mixed-use building with a high-end sports facility, community venue and office space.
For several residents, who earn less than $40,000 a year there are pitfalls to the project.
Less than 30 percent of the units are affordable for low-income residents, activists say.
“This is not affordable for us,” said Maria Nunez, 59, a disabled-worker from Bushwick, Brooklyn. “If they are doing something like this in our lane it’s suppose to be for people in the community. We’ve been here for shootings, drug abuse, rapes and everything and we stay.”
Nunez added,“Now the community gets better and they try to push us out?” No, we have to fight for that. We will fight to the end.”
Nearly 100 activists from New York Communities for Change, Crown Heights Tenant union and local labor unions marched through city streets at 1 Centre Street in Manhattan to 250 Broadway.
“The deal is so bad even Stevie Wonder with an eye-seeing brick could see it’s flaws,” said Skipp Roseboro, 72, an activist of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. “This deal will increase their rents and force them out of the community.”
The arrestees were accused of disorderly conduct for blocking traffic on 250 Broadway including City Council Green party candidate, Jabari Brisport, who was detained on Monday for protesting at a public meeting, the Independent first reported.
“Did we say tweak the deal?…did we say put more hoops in the basketball court?,” said Brisport, who covers parts of Clinton Hill, Crown Heights and Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. “He [Bill de Blasio] privatizes anything he could get his hands on.”
For months, Cumbo vacillated on a clear position on the Bedford-Union Armory Project, a deal with few affordable units available to the community. Now, constituents urge Cumbo to “Kill the deal” before district re-elections.
Justice Favor, 35, a construction worker said he stands in solidarity with the community.
“She [Laurie Cumb] hasn’t came out strong against this deal,” Favor said. “She had the power to kill the deal, but she tapped danced around it.”
A representative for Laurie Cumbo’s office was not immediately available for comment.
Photo by Tatyana Bellamy-Walker
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.