Reaction To De Blasio State of City Address
Brooklyn’s lawmakers reacted generally good to Mayor de Blasio‘s State of the City address, which drew heavy on his administrations push for more affordable housing as well as initiatives to bring ferry service to such waterfront neighborhoods as Sunset Park and Coney Island. Here are some of their reactions:
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams: “The vision he laid out in today’s State of the City address to advance affordable housing are bold and necessary, from transforming neighborhoods on the rise like Brownsville and East New York to pledging an end to veteran homelessness. I am particularly interested in proposals like the redevelopment of our rail yards and the provision of free legal representation for tenants facing landlord harassment, both items I have highlighted as priorities within the last year.
““I also applaud Mayor de Blasio for plans he announced today that will further access to equity and opportunity for every New Yorker. This includes an expansion of bus rapid transit to Utica Avenue and other commuter corridors in need of attention, as well as a commitment to a five-borough ferry system that will affordably connect residents of south Brooklyn to the rest of the city, in addition to expanding economic development to neighborhoods in every corner of our borough.”
East Flatbush City Councilman Jumaane Williams: “I am gratified that housing was central to this address – as ending the affordable housing crisis must be central to anything we do as elected officials. Still, just as I was disappointed with the President and Governor, I wish that gun violence was at least mentioned by Mayor de Blasio, as statistics show a recent uptick and the issue continues to make daily headlines. Deliberate, concerted efforts must be made to limit shootings in our city, and will only happen once we treat it as the dire public health and safety crisis it truly is. I must note, however, that this Mayor has been a strong ally of the Gun Violence Taskforce initiative, increasing funding in his first year while insuring city agencies are working collaboratively toward its success.
East New York City Councilwoman Inez Barron called the speech “very generic and general” in his affordable housing plans. She also said de Blasio’s plans for affordable housing in East New York should be based on the area median income (AMI) of that neighborhood and not the city as a whole.
The AMI in East New York is $33,000 and de Blasio’s proposal calls for the affordable hosing in the area to have an AMI of $84,000, said Barron.
“Our concern is there have been generations of East New Yorkers living in sparse conditions and limited social services, and now those persons who endured should be the persons that enjoy the benefits,” said Barron, adding she had a meeting with the Department of City Planning in lobbying that one formula of AMI for affordable housing should not be used for all neighborhoods.
State Senator Daniel Squadron: “I applaud Mayor de Blasio’s proposal to expand ferry service citywide, including stops at Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn and Grand Street on the Lower East Side, as I urged with colleagues in October.”
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz: “News of an affordable Red Hook commuter ferry to Manhattan will be another major boost to our community. Along with new housing initiatives and economic development proposals, Mayor de Blasio presented a great plan for Brooklyn.”
City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo: “Today, thousands of New Yorkers face an uncertain future due to the rising cost of rent—a reality that threatens the cultural and economic diversity of our city. As millions of tourists and locals continue to frequent venues across New York City annually for our unique cultural experience, local artists will no longer have to fear gentrification with the support of the city in the creation of affordable spaces to live and create. Through Housing New York, we are investing directly into our seniors, veterans, and artists—the very people who have contributed immensely towards the growth and development of our communities. Our city must remain an affordable place where people from all walks of life can comfortably live, work, and raise their families.”
