Op-Ed: Jewish CB 9 Member Steps Up for the Community on Vital Brooklyn

A proposed massive Vital Brooklyn NYS Housing Development on the corner of Clarkson and Albany will soon contribute to a parking tsunami and parking surge that will extend several blocks.  

This NYS project will soon add 1090 residential units, plus 63,071 commercial square feet, plus a 364 bed homeless shelter rebuild with employees, and for all of this, will provide not a single onsite parking spot.  In addition, there will be a 8092 square foot supermarket with only 15 onsite parking spaces for employees and customers.  Kingsboro EIS, Chapter 20,  Construction, Chapter 20.1 Introduction, page 1, Kingsboro-20-Construction.pdf (ny.gov), See also Kingsboro-Vital-Brooklyn-CB9-Housing-Committee-Presentation.pdf (nyc.gov)

“The proposed traffic mitigation plan…would eliminate 38 on-street parking spaces, of which 29 spaces would be within a quarter-mile distance from the Project Site.  This reduction in on-street parking supply would increase the weekday early morning shortfall from 110 to 139 spaces and the weekday midday parking shortfall from 99 to 128 spaces.  Given that the parking demand exceeds the available on-street parking supply, the Proposed Project would result in a significant shortfall.  However, alternative travel modes via bus and subway are available…Additionally, residents and workers may choose to use available on-street parking beyond a quarter-mile radius of the Project-Site.” Kingsboro EIS, Chapter 23 Mitigation Measures, Chapter 23.6 Transportation, Parking,  page 23, Kingsboro-23-Mitigation-Measures .pdf (ny.gov)  

In other words, go park in Canarsie, and then take a Citi-bike ride back to East Flatbush.

(I did not count the additional loss of street parking spaces that will be used by construction workers during the seven year construction period of Vital Brooklyn.  Kingsboro-20-Construction.pdf (ny.gov) , p. 13)

Community Board 9 Was Waffling on Opposing Vital Brooklyn Kingsbrook Psych

On September 26, 2023, ( LetterofOppositionVitalBrooklynGovHochul.pdf (nyc.gov) ), a prior “conditional” CB 9 motion opposing Vital Brooklyn Kingsboro Psych based on “lack of information” was rendered obsolete after Assemblyman Brian Cunningham’s November 5, 2023 Vital Brooklyn Forum at 791 Empire Blvd.  Binyomin “Benny” Rosenberger was the only Lubavitch CB 9 member that I personally witnessed in attendance on November 5, 2023 at said Vital Brooklyn Forum.

On March 26, 2024, CB 9 adopted a Housing Resolution that had a laundry list of concerns about Vital Brooklyn Kingsboro Psych, yet resisted using the stronger word “oppose”.  CB9ResolutionStateofHousing.pdf (nyc.gov)  ( see Vital Brooklyn Item#6)  

Said resolution specifically requested housing for families of color and marginal identities but left out any request for housing for larger families like Orthodox Jews.  The open-ended reference to “marginal identities” can include the homeless, migrants, seriously mentally ill and sex offenders.

Again, Mr. Rosenberger was the only Lubavtich CB 9 member that I heard vote “no” on the

March 26, 2024 CB 9 State of Housing Resolution.  (Brooklyn Community Board 9 March 2024 General Board Meeting (youtube.com) ) ( 2 hr 36 min 25 sec mark)

Assemblyman Brian Cunningham, although expressing his concerns, has yet to publicly say whether he approves or opposes the current version of the project. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/b3ot8jq76wwdj4it1pqd4/C1.pdf?rlkey=efmmbw4uamnbkcnbpjqrbjgaz&dl=0 – December 11, 2023 letter by Assemb Cunningham to Gov Hochul

Successful Board Motion Opposing Vital Brooklyn ( Video below)

On June 24, 2024, first year Jewish Community Board (“CB”) 9 member Benny Rosenberger stepped up to the plate and stood up for the Shechuna by making a much needed motion to unconditionally oppose NYS’s Vital Brooklyn Kingsboro Psych (Clarkson & Albany), based upon serious parking issues.  

In his first day “at bat” (public speaking appearance) before the entire General Board and auditorium, the rookie CB 9 member “hit it out of the park” by answering questions and pushing the motion through. 

Here is the video of Mr. Rosenberger stepping up and speaking to the crowd:

June 2024 General Board Meeting (youtube.com)  (See 2 hr 55 min mark )

The CB 9 motion opposing Vital Brooklyn Kingsboro Psych based upon parking issues passed,  but not without some divine intervention.

Strangely, the two Lubavitch CB 9 members in attendance had to leave shortly before 

Mr. Rosenberger was to speak.  This created a quorum issue or CB 9 member attendance issue which should have killed the motion.  The CB 9 quorom requirement is that the majority [26] of the total amount of CB 9 members [50] be physically present to do business and vote on motions.  See Board Members – Brooklyn Community Board 9 (nyc.gov)  

If you listen until the end of the meeting (3 hr 5 min mark), you will hear CB 9 Housing Chair 

Erin Mazursky try to invalidate Mr. Rosenberger’s prior motion by questioning whether there was a quorum (minimum amount of CB 9 members in attendance necessary to vote).

CB 9 General Board Chair Fred Baptiste then looked at this watch and asked for a motion to adjourn the CB 9 board meeting, since time had run out and Middle School 61 had to close for the evening.  Mr. Rosenberger’s motion came in the nick of time, in the final moments of the final General Board meeting before summer recess.  

Since Attorney General Letisha James is about to sign off on this project, this was the last chance for official Community Board 9 opposition (not just concerns) to this project and Benny Rosenberger answered the call of the Shtetl that June 24 evening and got the job done.  

To get up and speak for the first time before a community board that voted down a similar motion a few months ago, and to bring up new business after three hours in a hot auditorium with no air conditioning,  and then to get the community board to pass the motion, and to miss part of a wedding to get it done , isn’t just a Kiddush Hashem by 

Mr. Rosenberger for the Jewish community, 

it’s also pretty damn chood.

Next Steps: Current CB 9 Opposition Is Now Reason for AG James to Listen to the Concerns of the Residents of East Flatbush Before She Signs Off On Vital Brooklyn

This motion, as the voice of the community, provides the impetus to now 

call for AG Letisha James to come to a Town Hall Meeting at MS 61, 400 Empire Blvd.

AG Letisha James should meet the East Flatbush community that will be effected by this project, just like how NYC Public Advocate Letisha James met the Prospect Lefferts Gardens (“PLG”) community back in 2017 when the PLG community was objecting to the Rogers Ave Homeless Shelter.  Back then Letisha James said the following words:

“The reality is that this community has been dumped on. (1 hr 2 min, 15 sec mark)

The reality is that we have taken in our fair share…

Don’t be mistaken and don’t let anyone CONFUSE you

THIS public advocate CAME from this neighborhood

STANDS with this neighborhood

We will not go in the opposite direction, NOT while I am alive 

And NOT while I am your public servant.”

Former NYC Public Advocate  Letisha James, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A3tFY-S-dA  ( 1hr 1 min )

Where does AG Letisha James stand now?

If you would like AG Letisha James to meet with the (Forgotten) East Flatbush Community

at Middle School 61, 400 Empire Blvd, (Empire & NY Av) before she signs off on Vital Brooklyn Kingsboro Psych, please fill out the below form and copy and paste the web address of this OP-ED in the “additional notes” section at the end of below form.

Scheduling requests | New York State Attorney General (ny.gov) 

“If your request for a meeting or event is time-sensitive, please contact the scheduling team via email at ag.schedule@ag.ny.gov.”  – NYS AG Website

Moshiach will not be delivered by Amazon Prime.

Actions speak louder than photo-ops.

Don’t blame Assemblyman Brian Cunningham and AG Letitia James for ignoring you – blame the Machers in your community for allowing it to happen.

Sincerely,

Jay Sorid

https://www.chood.info

Cc: Assemblyman Cunningham: cunninghamba@nyassembly.gov 

        Raul Rothblatt, District Ofc Dir for Assemb Cunningham: rothblattr@nyassembly.gov 

        Senator Myrie: myrie@nysenate.gov 

        Attorney General Letisha James: ag.schedule@ag.ny.gov

        Berel Hildeshaim: bhildeshaim@chjcc.org (Chairman and Rosh Hakohol)

        Meir New: mnew@chjcc.org ( Treasurer)

        Zalman Friedman: zfriedman@chjcc.org (Spokesperson)

        Shmuly Rosenstein: srosenstein@chjcc.org ( Vice Chairman)

        Dovid Halon: dhalon@chjcc.org (Director)

        Yitzie Kamman: ikamman@chjcc.org (Secretary)

        SayNOtoLess, Cheryl Bernard, http://www.saynotoless.org   <-–  Join the Whatsapp 

        SayNOtoLess consists of over 75 Black, Jewish and other families in E Flatbush.