Crown Heights and Lefferts Gardens: What Are Your Priorities for the Community?

CROWN HEIGHTS and LEFFERTS GARDENS, BROOKLYN — On Wednesday, Crown Heights and Lefferts Gardens community members will have the opportunity to weigh in on the list of budget priorities Community Board 9 will send to the City Council.

Each board sends a list of its priorities to the Council in October, to be worked into the city's budget considerations and policy discussions. Before that list is finalized, a public hearing is held where locals can offer their take on what the board has chosen to prioritize.

CB9's discussion of its draft document (embedded in full below) will take place on Wednesday, Sep. 21 at 7 p.m. at M.S. 61, located at 400 Empire Blvd.

The board's draft offers "a 197-a plan which sets out our vision for a better future for this community." While the document spans many community aspects, it highlights three top priorities that deserve particular attention: affordable housing, schools and crime.

On housing, CB9 argues that, "The income guidelines for 'affordable' housing is not a realistic measure for affordable," adding that the city must design "more realistic income guidelines that will allow constituents in the low and moderate income group to be able to afford to rent an apartment."

The board also states that the area is experiencing "major overcrowding" and lacking infrastructure in its schools, and calls for the addition of "classroom space; gymnasiums, auditorium space (none exist in many of the district's schools, including high schools) library space; [and] air conditioning and heating plants."

And on crime, CB9 writes that while overall city crime has seen decreases, "the reality is that for all intents and purposes, gun violence causing death and serious bodily harm, appears to be at epidemic proportions."

CB9 is patrolled by the NYPD's 71st Precinct. Through Sep. 11, 16 shootings with 21 victims had been recorded by the precinct, compared to 16 shootings with 24 victims during the same period in 2015.

Relatedly, the board's document adds that "Guns and Illegal drugs go hand in hand and are also a major concern in the district."

You can read the rest of the draft document below:

Top image: Community Board 9. Image by Google Maps and Simone Wilson