AY CDC meeting today; president's report released Friday, shortly before deadline for comments; keep watch for candor on affordability & timetable

I last Wednesday, Dec. 8, previewed the belatedly scheduled meeting of the Atlantic Yards Community Development Corporation, to be webcast today at noon. 

I was told by the parent Empire State Development (ESD) that meeting documents would be posted Thurday, but the president's report (below) was not posted until sometime mid-day Friday, with little time for public comment to meet the 4:30 pm deadline. That gets to the issue of transparency and accountability, one I flagged.

Still missing are meeting notes from the past two Quality of Life meetings, one three months ago. Those notes not only provide an official summary of topics--sometimes downplaying concerns--but should respond to questions unanswered at the meeting, such as the fate of the promised Times Plaza open space.

What they'll be told

The directors will get update on construction progress (yes, B4 and B15 have moved ahead steadily), plans (if any?) for Site 5, occupancy of project retail, and affordable housing lotteries. 

Keep watch for any explanation that the 30% affordable housing at 662 Pacific (B15, aka Plank Road) will be for middle-income households at 130% of Area Median Income (AMI), and why that wasn't disclosed earlier. Ditto for 18 Sixth Ave. (B4, aka Brooklyn Crossing).

As to the Community Relations Update, the presentation notes there were four virtual Quality of Life meetings since the last AY CDC meeting, with this overview of discussion topics:

• Affordable Housing Obligation and Lottery Application Information
• B15 DOE Middle School / Request for School Construction Authority Rep.
• Traffic conditions and Traffic Enforcement, Including Parking Signage
• Neighborhood Cleanliness
• Construction Activity and Permitted Hours of Operation
• Use of Air Horns at B12-B13 for Site Safety Measures
• LIRR Platform Construction
• B5 Construction Timeline
• Site 5 Condemnation and B1 Transfer Proposal
• Barclays Center Operations & Social Justice Fund Updates

It's hard to tell, of course, whether the discussion will be candid, for example, noting that, despite regular questions about how developer Greenland Forest City Partners will meet the 2025 affordable housing deadline, there have been no answers, just assurances that seem less and less reliable.

Similarly, Greenland Forest City announced that the platform would start in early 2020. It hasn't.