City Councilman David Greenfield, who chairs the Council’s Land Use Committee, hailed a rezoning agreement between the city and Alma Realty to build the massive Astoria Cove development project in Queens. Under the deal, the project will contain a historic 27% of affordable housing. Also negotiated as part of the project are improvements to a NYCHA senior center, a local park, public library and a ferry dock.
“What we have said here is that the community’s needs cannot be steamrolled in the rezoning process. The Council will fight to ensure that anyone who seeks to change the zoning meet the needs of the community that they are developing in,” said Greenfield. “This project is the perfect trifecta – it provides thousands of good jobs, 468 units of affordable housing and many improvements to the local community.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that more than 53,000 kids were enrolled in his universal Pre-K initiative that started this year.
“We said from the beginning, our goal was to get past 53,000. We thought that the need was there, the demand was there, and we could do it even on a tight time frame. Well, I’m here to say today that we’re happy to announce that we do have a final figure – and it’s a great figure – for the number of kids who are getting full-day high-quality pre-k in New York City today – 53,230, in seats as we speak,” de Blasio said yesterday at a press conference in Manhattan.
Last night, City Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams held his second of three Participatory Budgeting (PB) meetings at Glenwood Houses Community Center, 5816 Farragut Road. The public meeting gives community members an opportunity to learn about PB, discuss community needs, and brainstorm project ideas to nominate. The bottom line is it gives the community a say on how discretionary funds doled out in each city council member are spent around the district.
“I am excited that the people of District 45 have continued to show their support for participatory budgeting, and look forward to a fourth successful year,” said Williams. “PB has been an empowering form of open democracy which has not only gained momentum within our own neighborhood, but has continued to expand citywide.”
Williams’ third PB meeting is scheduled for 6-8:30 pm, November 17 at the Flatbush YMCA , 1401 Flatbush Avenue
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