LATEST INITIATIVES

On Friday, January 4th, Borough President Adams publicized their request for a meeting with Mayor Bill 10th that NYC Ferry service will be expanded to Borough President Adams and City Schools Chancellor Richard and Council Member Donovan Richards convened de Blasio to discuss problems with, and potential Coney Island by 2021, Borough President Adams Carranza (right) high-fived students tenant leaders at Ocean Bay Apartments in the improvements to, the High Occupancy Vehicle 3+ celebrated the “milestone achievement, a at PS 84 Jose de Diego in Williams- Rockaways to discuss the strategic deployment of (HOV3+) lane that traverses and Staten common-sense solution that arms our years of burg as they participated in a citywide the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Island. In a Thursday, January 10th letter, they advocacy on behalf of transit-starved residents on the celebration of College Awareness Day. program launched by the Housing identified several potential solutions for consider- West End and small businesses that depend on tourist Photo Credit: Erica Krodman Authority (NYCHA). They encouraged NYCHA to ation to commuting issues currently posed by the activity. In the months ahead, I will continue conver- Brooklyn BP’s Oce expand its use of the program — a public-private HOV+3 lane, including a two-hour expansion of the sations with NYCEDC and the Coney Island commu- partnership that provides financial resources that morning hours of operation, in order to attract nity on the establishment of this new ferry route as NYCHA cannot otherwise access to enable critical- commuters with flexibility in their schedules, as well well as the location of a dedicated landing, which I ly-needed building repairs and ongoing maintenance as increased enforcement through a greater, more have called for siting along Coney Island Creek at while preserving permanent aordability and tenancy consistent police presence, and potentially through West 21st Street. Additionally, my pursuits of ferry of existing residents. Borough President Adams, who the use of technology to detect the requisite number service to Canarsie — a community in true need of has previously endorsed the use of the RAD program based on its success at the housing complex, brought of people in a vehicle. transit equity — as well as a ferry connection between together tenant leaders from various public housing Brooklyn and are as strong as ever.” developments across Brooklyn whose homes will be Borough President Adams joined NYC Health + On Tuesday, January 15th, Borough President converted to new management through the RAD Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz, Adams joined representatives from WeWALK — program on a tour of Ocean Bay Apartments to show MD, as well as dieticians, medical professionals, and developers of a “smart cane” for the visually impaired the results of the program’s conversions; sites include health care advocates in launching a new Meatless — to announce a beta testing initiative with employ- Armstrong I, Armstrong II, 572 Warren Street, Berry Mondays initiative at all 11 public hospitals across the ees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Street-South 9th Street, Marcy Avenue-Greene NYC Health + Hospitals system. The expansion of Avenue Site A, Marcy Avenue-Greene Avenue Site (MTA) as well as clients of Helen Keller Services for plant-based menu options, announced on Monday, B, and Weeksville Gardens. Borough President the Blind, a non-profit organization based in Down- January 14th at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Adams, Council Member Richards, and NYCHA town Brooklyn helping people of all ages who are blind Island in Sheepshead Bay, addresses a growing crisis tenant leaders discussed the merits of the RAD or visually impaired, and Lighthouse Guild, an organi- BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT of preventable diseases citywide. Borough President program, the critical importance of proactive tenant zation dedicated to addressing and preventing vision Adams called on all hospitals to sign on to the engagement, and the necessity of securing funding loss. The technology facilitates the world’s “smartest Meatless Mondays pledge, an international campaign that fixes the city’s public housing stock while cane,” featuring obstacle detection, security LED ensuring it remains aordable and accessible for very focused on improving the health of both individuals ERIC L. ADAMS’ lighting, as well as third-party integration capabilities and the planet. Additionally, on Wednesday, January low-income New Yorkers. with mobile apps such as Google Maps, Uber, and 16th, he delivered testimony before the New York OF THE voice assistance in the future. Borough President City Council Committee on Education at City Hall In response to chronic rush hour concerns for Adams emphasized the importance of government MESSAGE MONTH commuters, Borough President Adams, Staten regarding a series of measures to improve the health partnering with private sector innovators to uplift the Island Borough President James Oddo, Council outcomes of students, namely his resolution to lives of the more than 13 million blind and visually Minority Leader Steven Matteo, as well as Council remove processed meat from school cafeterias. impaired people across the United States. Members Justin Brannan and Carlos Menchaca Following an announcement on Thursday, January WHAT’S UP AT BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL?

Happy New Year! It was a warm winter’s recorded in Brooklyn last year, the first presented by a qualified naturopathic UPCOMING EVENTS afternoon on Coney Island Beach as time since record-keeping began that doctor. Borough President Adams participated fewer than 100 homicides took place. To VARIOUS DAYS VARIOUS DATES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH VARIOUS TIMES VARIOUS TIMES 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM in 115th annual Polar Bear Plunge made set a new record in 2019, Borough Pres- On Friday, January 11th, Borough Pres- Brooklyn Borough Hall – Room G-80 Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room famous by the legendary Coney Island ident Adams called for a 20 percent ident Adams joined the Brooklyn Peri- FREE Legal Services for All Notice of Property Value Public Sessions Love Your Feet Podiatric Care and Shoe Distribution Polar Bear Club. Celebrating the first increase in funding for the Mayor’s natal Network, The Brooklyn Coalition MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH New Year’s Day that both he and his Oce to Combat Gun Violence, for Health Equity for Women and Fami- EVERY MONDAY 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM mother were diabetes-free, he decided supporting violence interrupters, clergy lies Coalition Leadership Team, as well as THROUGH THURSDAY Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room to “take the plunge” on Tuesday, Janu- councils, and community observation Assembly Member Tremaine Wright 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM A Plant-Based Family A air Year of the Pig Celebration ary 1st alongside thousands of people patrols. and Council Member Helen Rosenthal Brooklyn Borough Hall Constituent Assistance Center Walk-In TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST from Brooklyn and beyond. for “A Community Response to 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Resolve to eat healthy! That was the Addressing Maternal Morbidity” The Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room On Wednesday, January 2nd, Borough theme at Borough President Adams’ public forum, held at Brooklyn Borough EVERY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY Brooklyn Borough Board Meeting Trap-Neuter-Return and Colony Care Workshop VARIOUS TIMES President Adams and Brooklyn latest Healthy Cooking Workshop, Hall, presented a community-based Brooklyn Borough Hall – Room G-80 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH District Attorney Eric Gonzalez joined which took place on Thursday, January proposal to respond to the social deter- SCORE NYC Small Business Mentoring 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM New York City Police Department 3rd at Brooklyn Borough Hall.. Attend- minants of health, particularly focusing Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room Brooklyn Borough Hall – Courtroom (NYPD) leadership, local clergy, and ees learned about how to prepare three on eective services to address severe Summer Program Resource Fair Black History Month Celebration VARIOUS DATES violence interrupters at Brooklyn Bor- delicious plant-based and gluten-free maternal morbidity and mortality. VARIOUS TIMES ough Hall to highlight how 2018 ended dishes, as well how to replace meats with Brooklyn Borough Hall – Community Room If you have an interest in any of these events, please contact us by visiting brooklyn-usa.org for more information or by calling our event hotline at (718) 802-2328. Additionally, to stay up-to-date with the oce, visit brooklyn-usa.org to sign up for Borough President with Brooklyn setting a record-low in plant-based proteins and other simple Free Tax Preparation and Filing Adams’ paperless notifications, like his Facebook page, and follow @BPEricAdams on Twitter and Instagram. homicides. Ninety-seven murders were natural remedies and health nuggets Continued on next page

FEBRUARY 2019 WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG FEBRUARY 2019 Borough President Adams spoke out against the proposed six-lane highway plan to replace Borough President Adams demonstrated a first-of-its-kind “smart cane” alongside the Brooklyn Expressway (BQE) triple cantilever at a community rally along the WeWALK Project Lead Kursat Ceylan, as well as representatives from Helen Keller Services, Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Lighthouse Guild, and the MTA, in the Rotunda of Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Photo Credit: Stefan Ringel/Brooklyn BP’s Oce Photo Credit: Eugene Resnick/Brooklyn BP’s Oce

Borough President Adams joined (from left to right) State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Borough President Adams and Council Member Donovan Richards (right) joined public Representatives Nydia Velasquez and Carolyn Maloney, Borough President Gale housing tenant leaders (left) outside Ocean Bay Apartments in the Rockaways to demon- Brewer, and other community leaders outside the Lorimer Street L train station in Williams- strate the critically-needed building and apartment repairs and ongoing maintenance COMMUNITY ALERTS burg to demand answers to regarding the viability of proposed changes to the planned L train undertaken at the housing development as part of the Rental Assistance Demonstration shutdown. (RAD) program launched by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). Community board and capital budget applications and a future for white children,’ and the Heil Hitler Development (DYCD) to host a Neighborhood are open in Brooklyn! Borough President Adams salute respectively. Unfortunately, these stickers are Advisory Board (NAB) Information Session on Photo Credit: Eugene Resnick/Brooklyn BP’s Oce Photo Credit: Erica Krodman/Brooklyn BP’s Oce encouraged Brooklynites from every neighborhood part of a wider pattern of neo-Nazi activity in the area Tuesday, January 29th at Brooklyn Borough Hall, to in the borough to apply for an opening on one of around Greenpoint and Williamsburg including encourage Brooklynites to learn about and sign up for Brooklyn’s 18 local community boards. Interested swastikas that were spray-painted and etched on their local NAB to identify needs of their community Happy College Awareness Day! Borough As part of the Brooklyn Downtown prise (M/WBE) Borough Forum at candidates, who must be New York City residents Manhattan Avenue and McGolrick Park in the past and allocate much-needed funding for services such President Adams and New York City Revitalization Initiative, Borough Presi- Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights that live, work in, or have a professional or other two years. In response to this pattern of hate, we will as adult literacy, fatherhood services, housing Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza dent Adams co-sponsored public work- alongside the Mayor’s Oce and the significant interest in that board’s district, are asked be working with a diverse range of stakeholders across programs, immigration services, and senior and youth to submit their application online at brook- community-based organizations, houses of worship, programs. To be a part of a NAB, members should be participated in a citywide celebration of shops to gather input on potential proj- New York City Department of Small lyn-usa.org; the deadline for application submis- and local businesses to bring residents of Greenpoint full-time residents of the Neighborhood Develop- College Awareness Day on Friday, Janu- ects designed to improve the Downtown Business Services (SBS). The event sions for 2019 appointments is Friday, February together.” If you have any information on who may be ment Areas (NDA) they represent — areas specifical- ary 11th by participating in a college scav- Brooklyn area through a $10 million provided attendees with assistance on 15th. Additionally, Borough President Adams responsible for the postings, contact the New York ly designated as in-need; have lived in the neighbor- invited City agencies, borough schools, and City Police Department (NYPD) Crime Stoppers by hood for a minimum of six months; be at least 16 years enger hunt with a group of seventh grade investment that he helped to secure registering and certifying a business with community-based organizations (CBOs) to apply calling (800) 577-TIPS. of age, and have no formal associations with any students at PS 84 Jose de Diego in from the State. The two sessions took government entities, identifying govern- for capital funding from his oce for Fiscal Year organization that receives DYCD funding under the Williamsburg. The celebration encourag- place on Wednesday, January 16th at the ment contracting opportunities, deter- 2020 (FY20) funding. All requests for capital Following Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. es postsecondary readiness among New York University (NYU) Tandon mining appropriate mentorship programs, funding must be submitted via an online capital of changes to the L train shutdown plan on Thursday, If you are interested in joining your local NAB, funding application, which can also be found by January 3rd, Borough President Adams and Manhat- contact Candice Julien by emailing cjulien@brook- students so that a college and career School of Engineering MakerSpace in as well as workshops, marketing, and visiting brooklyn-usa.org; the FY20 application tan Borough President Gale Brewer led a group of lynbp.nyc.gov. culture is fostered at that school and Downtown Brooklyn and Wednesday, accessing aordable loans. process opened on Friday, December 21st, and the community leaders representing constituents along throughout the city. January 23rd at Walt Whitman Public deadline to submit a request is 11:59 PM on the route of the L train line in demanding answers to a It’s tax season! Borough President Adams and Grow Wednesday, February 13th. Those applying for range of questions regarding the viability of the Brooklyn, Inc, have joined together to host a series of Library in Fort Greene. Get rid of that debt! Borough President capital funding for a non-City project must also proposal. The proposed changes, including keeping free tax preparation and filing services, in partnership Borough President Adams joined A Adams co-hosted a student loan debt complete the requisite capital application from the tunnels operational with only the potential for with the Mayor’s Oce, New York City Department Better Way NYC, Brooklyn Heights In celebration of the life and legacy of clinic in partnership with the New York either the New York City Department of Cultural night and weekend closures over the course of a 15- to of Consumer Aairs, NYC Free Tax Prep, Brooklyn Aairs (DCLA) or New York City Oce of 20 month period, followed three years of community Cooperative Federal Credit Union, Internal Revenue Association, and community leaders at a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Borough City Department of Consumer Aairs Management and Budget (OMB); the deadline to engagement, multiple agency planning, and commu- Service, and Single Stop. The services kicked o on rally along the Brooklyn Heights Prome- President Adams co-hosted the 33rd (DCA) Oce of Financial Empower- submit those applications is 5:00 PM on Wednes- nication. Their joint letter on Thursday, January 10th Friday, January 25th, with appointments available at nade on Saturday, January 12th focused annual Brooklyn tribute to the civil rights ment at the Crown Heights Branch of day, February 20th. emphasized the importance of restoring public trust in Brooklyn Borough Hall from Tuesday, January 29th the decision-making process regarding the L train, a to Monday, April 15th by appointment only on on the replacement of the Brooklyn leader at the Brooklyn Academy of the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) on In response to neo-Nazi postings that appeared critical transportation route, which is essential to Mondays from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Tuesdays from Queens Expressway (BQE) triple canti- Music (BAM) in Fort Greene on Saturday, January 26th. The session across Greenpoint during the first weekend of commuters in both Brooklyn and Manhattan on a 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and Wednesdays from 10:00 lever. Borough President Adams Monday, January 21st. The event’s featured free confidential one-on-one January, Borough President Adams joined Repre- daily basis. In particular, it called for an independent AM to 2:00 PM. To schedule an appointment, visit sentative Carolyn Maloney, State Senator Julia analysis of the amended plan, maintaining the growbrooklyn.org/taxes or call (347) 682-5606. expressed his opposition to the six-lane keynote speaker was #MeToo movement financial counseling with professional Salazar, Assembly Member Joseph Lentol, and proposed mitigation improvements, increased highway plan introduced by the New founder Tarana Burke. counselors and consultations with legal Council Member Stephen Levin in a public community engagement, and reinvestment of all cost Our Constituent Assistance Center is here to serve all York City Department of Transportation aid attorneys. statement on Tuesday, January 8th that savings. More information on the L train is available at condemned the postings and noted that “the mta.info. of Brooklyn. If you or someone you know are having any (NYCDOT), calling for greater environ- On Wednesday, January 23rd, Bor- materials contained Nazi swastikas and the issues, or if you have questions about topics such as alternate side parking, sidewalk pickup, or other commu- mental consideration and meaningful ough President Adams co-hosted a numbers 14 and 88, which refer to the 14-word Borough President Adams partnered with the New nity matters, including the topics in this month’s update, slogan ‘we must secure the existence of our people York City Department for Youth and Community engagement from State ocials. Minority and Women Business Enter- call the Center at (718) 802-3700.

FEBRUARY 2019 WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG FEBRUARY 2019