Committee Blows It - Back Again It Goes

Short version: MTOPP called attention to the fact that Ben Edwards had adjourned the meeting, then Demetrius Lawrence said "wait we have to vote" and said it wasn't adjourned, thereby making the vote to send the draft to the full board null and void. Another meeting will be called to re-vote, and to discuss a proposed (just proposed at this point) text amendment that would allow builders more buildable feet if they provide certain needed housing, for seniors in particular. Of course, those vehemently opposed to any increased density are opposed. Opposed to, it would appear, seniors. No affordable housing via inclusionary zoning. No new senior housing. Because we can't handle a couple stories of extra height. Unbelievable. Whose side is the opposition on, I ask?

As an added bonus, some young Alicia acolyte read aloud a petition demanding my ouster from the Board for being racist and disrespectful. To which I must ask...a promise or a threat? Granted, I'm not the only one being tarred and feathered. Eric Adams and Pearl Miles get a lot of abuse. New temporary chair Laura Imperiale got her fair share. But since Alicia's petition to have me removed contains specific accusations, I thought I'd claim them all in a concise little list.

1. Calling Mathieu Eugene not worth his cheap suits. Check
2. Calling Alicia and certain members of her crowd Assaholic, in need of a 12-step program for Assaholics. Check.
3. Calling (now resigned) chair Dwayne Nicholson in need of leadership training. Check
4. Calling the Community Board an embarrassment, which ironically is akin to what Alicia's been saying for the past year. Check.
5. Writing the post "Not In My Black Yard," where I suggested that Alicia is using race-baiting techniques to cover her real objective, which is to not allow building on Empire, which is quite literally her back yard. Check.
6. Writing "perhaps Alicia will break her jaw gardening," thereby rendering her unable to hurl insults and disrupt the meetings. Actually, I could see how that one could be interpreted as wishing harm on her. I don't. She's done irreparable harm to herself and needs no help from me. Debatable and deleted.

That's it. After tens of thousands of words on a gazillion topics. That's what they can come up with. Frankly, I'm not doing a very good job of speaking my mind if that's the best they can do. You'd think I'd have betrayed my love for the community more than that on a slew of occasions. I write this stuff as quickly as I can because I have precious little time each day. I suppose I could use an editor, but where's the fun in that?

Meanwhile, the ignorance continues. While fighting the Community Board - who are NOT experts and should NOT be counted on to answer specific planning questions - the community is missing its best opportunity to go block by block to determine where you should and shouldn't build new market rate buildings.

In the meantime, I would ask that you consider the following projects (a partial list at best) of new buildings going up CB9 that have NO affordable (up to roughly $50K in income for families of four, in most cases) units. And this doesn't take into account the dozen + projects in farther south in Flatbush proper, on Lenox etc. In fact, one of the only buildings with affordable units is...626 Flatbush. I'm close to saying "let the haters get what they want." Go ahead, let the building continue without input from us or the City. Just see what we get.

1. 165 Apartment building on Rogers at Crown, replacing St. Ignatius
2. The old Gulf Station at EP & Bedford - might be a hotel OR residential
3. The old Sea Crest Linent site at 46 Crown. 209 units rental building
4. Tivoli Towers is undergoing a repopulating campaign with its new jerky landlord looking to change the wealth of tenants. Already the harassment has begun.
5. The former parking garage on Carrol near BBG will be midrise residential
6. On the NE of EP and Bedford (I know, across the street) 133 apartments
7. The Associated on Nostrand was bought, and they're lying about letting the supermarket stay for 5 years. Mark my words
8. The BBG owned spot on Montgomery near Washington will be 170 units
9. Never to be forgotten...ever...23-stories of 626 Flatbush
10. EP & Nostrand - 29 unit building
11. The hilarious little triangle at 995 Washington
12. 31 Lincoln 87 units
13. 651 New York Ave and Fenimore/Hawthorne - 40 units
14. 329 Sterling Street, rentals
15. 111 Clarkson - 50 Unites
16. 149 Clarkson - 5 story rental
17. 50-54 Clarkson - when the hell are they gonna start that one?
18. 371 Lincoln Road
19. One Sullivan 
20. 90 Sullivan Place
21. Those new townhouses on Hawthorne on the way to Nostrand
22. 46 Crown
23. Not in district but 123 on the Park and its soon to be built sister building alters the nabe vibe considerably
24. Many many more in the works

Lest any of you living or planning on living in the above think I have a problem with you, don't fret. The second you move in you're a neighbor. And to be honest, we're a lovely nabe and the City's growing, so who's to blame you?

It's simply a matter of planning for the growth. That's all.