Lander, Menchaca, Levin Support CBO Initiative
City Council Members Brad Lander, Carlos Menchaca and Stephen Levin will be on hand today to kick off a $1 million initiative to create more opportunities for public housing residents in Red Hook and Gowanus.
The program dubbed Stronger Together will work to reduce poverty for the aforementioned residents by providing free job training and placement, adult education and individual and family support services, such as legal advice, financial coaching, benefits counseling and tax preparation.
The community based organization Fifth Avenue Committee is spearheading the initiative in a partnership with three other CBOs – Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI), Red Hook Initiative (RHI) and Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation (SBIDC). Lander once served as the FAC executive director.
The Stronger Together program will expand existing services provided by the four partner organizations. A new performance measurement system will track outcomes on individuals and the community, documenting the program’s effectiveness in reducing poverty.
The Change Capital Fund (CCF), a collaborative of 17 major New York City funders working to develop data-driven strategies that alleviate poverty among individuals and families living in persistently low-income neighborhoods, is providing FAC and its partners $1 million in funding over the next 4 years for the Stronger Together program.
The Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council provided $77,500 to support the program’s inaugural year.
Hikind Questions Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel Process
Boro Park Assemblyman Dov Hikind is raising a red flag about the Cross Harbor Freight Program, which was an issue of great concern to the community years ago and has now returned.
CHFP, a program championed by Congressman Jerold Nadler, ultimately seeks to construct a freight tunnel beneath the New York Harbor connecting New Jersey to Brooklyn and then move goods and services along an existing, but defunct rail line through various Brooklyn communities.
Hikind’s office said the lawmaker doesn’t have an opinion as of yet on the multi-billion dollar federal initiative, but finds the process disheartening.
“In theory, by improving the movement of goods across the harbor, the CHFP would provide near- and long-term improvements to the regional freight network, reduce truck traffic congestion, improve air quality, and provide economic benefits. But it could also impact my constituents and they have a right to information and input before this project moves any further,” said Hikind.
Several weeks ago, Congressman Nadler visited Hikind’s office, as well as other elected officials, to discuss the importance and long-term benefits of this project. However, the Port Authority, which is responsible for this program, bypassed the approval of communities that the CHFP may impact.
“While a public hearing is set to soon take place at Brooklyn Borough Hall, my constituents have not been properly notified regarding this hearing,” said Hikind. “If freight is proposed to run through my district and neighboring districts, then Community Boards 10, 12 and 14 should first have opportunities for local hearings regarding the proposal.”
Hikind echoed his colleague, Sen. Simcha Felder in asking that the period for public comment on the project (set to close on February 27, 2015) be extended indefinitely.
