CM Hudson: asked Hochul to "convene all parties" to deliver affordable units; "no formal discussions" regarding relocation of Dean Street firehouse

BrooklynSpeaks' Crossroads series, aimed at improvements in Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park and the surrounding neighborhoods, last night concerned affordable housing (presentation here), and I'll have coverage soon.

One pending issue is potential fines for affordable units delayed past May 2025, an issue Council Member Crystal Hudson brought up during brief remarks at a previous Crossroads session, referencing a conversation with Governor Kathy Hochul and a memo. I asked for more details.

The response:

As for the memo CM Hudson referenced: it was a brief document handed to Governor Hochul's team after their in-person discussion earlier this month. The document outlined the same issues she brought to the Governor's attention. CM Hudson emphasized her concern that the developers would not meet the deadline to build the required affordable housing units and insisted on the need for a new agreement. She specifically asked for the Governor to convene all parties to 'find a robust solution that ensures these units are built as quickly as possible so we can get our promised affordable housing and hold Greenland Group accountable.' CM Hudson also asked the Governor to reintroduce community preference in an updated project agreement and reiterated that any penalties levied against the developer for not meeting the deadline should go back to the community.

Let's see if "convene all parties" involves public discussion and more entities beyond the BrooklynSpeaks coalition, which is the only organized group publicly advocating on the issue. More than 70 people attended last night's session, but there are other stakeholders not yet involved.

Also, there are many facets to the negotiation, for example involving the scale of the planned tower(s) at Site 5.

The community preference--which allotted half the units in the housing lottery to residents of the local Community District(s)--was removed during the 2017 state reformulation of the 421-a tax break, which became Affordable New York.

BrooklynSpeaks has asked for a retroactive community preference, to assist those displaced after project approval in 2006, but so that has so far been denied by the city.

Hochul has proposed a 421-a replacement, dubbed Affordable Neighborhoods for New Yorkers, but it doesn't address the issue of community preference. That said, the legislation is subject to revision.

Relocating the firehouse?

So, what's up with the potential relocation of the firehouse on Dean Street east of Sixth Avenue, which, according to a recent BrooklynSpeaks presentation, might be supplanted by a new building with affordable housing plus parking for the nearby 78th Precinct, moving cops' cars off the sidewalks.

Presenter John Massengale said, "The new school will be in the base of the building on the same block as a school for young children. The good news is that, based on informal discussions, the Fire Department of New York seems to be open to the idea of moving the firehouse."

Afterward, I asked Massengale and Gib Veconi of BrooklynSpeaks, "Can you elaborate on who has participated in those discussions, and the timing/funding involved?"

Veconi's response: "As John mentioned, the discussion with FDNY was preliminary, so we don’t have further comment at this point."

I followed up with Hudson. The response:

Our office has had no formal discussions with the FDNY to date regarding a relocation of firehouse 219/105. Additionally, there is no permanent relocation planned for 219/105, or any planned disruption in service, either. The discussions community members have referenced have been informal.

That doesn't preclude informal discussions involving Hudson, and/or predecessor Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo, so stay tuned.