Rev. David Brawley, head pastor of East New York’s St. Paul Community Baptist Church, yesterday led more than a thousand clergy members, churchgoers, seniors, and students who descended on City Hall Park to rally for affordable housing and bash the mayor for falling short with the city’s affordable housing crisis.
Brawley’s congregation along with Metro Industrial Areas Foundation (Metro IAF) New York sang hymns on the soggy Columbus Day Monday before Public Advocate Tish James and Comptroller Scott Stringer took to the stage to rally the crowd. City Councilmember Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) and U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Central Brooklyn, Coney Island) along with Republican city council candidate for the 35th district, Christine Parker, came in support of residents speaking out for affordable housing in the city and unfit conditions in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
“We’re being forced out of the communities that we have built and raised our children,” said Rev. Brawley.
Brawley along with his partners created a plan to address the city’s homeless and affordable housing crisis. The Reverend said the proposal was presented to the mayor at the beginning of the month, after which the mayor promised a thoughtful and comprehensive response to the suggestions made by Brawley and his committee. Instead, the Reverend said the mayor responded with a form letter while suggesting they continue talks with one of his staffers.
“Mayor de Blasio, your mayoral letterhead and signature will not be enough,” announced Brawley.
The demands requested in the original proposal to the mayor included 15,000 senior apartments built on underutilized land, a total rehabilitation of NYCHA apartment buildings, affordable rents and accountability imposed on slumlords. Several residents testified about the harsh conditions in the NYCHA housing, complaining about leaky ceilings, rodent infestations and damaged entry doors which allow unwanted vagrants access to the city’s housing complexes.
Both Stringer and James delivered fiery speeches igniting the crowd while promising to be accountable for carrying out their duties as representatives of the people. Both the public advocate and the comptroller are seeking re-election during the upcoming Nov. general election.
“I can believe that we can win,” chanted James.The public advocate pledged to support Brawley’s proposal citing that he and his coalition were experienced in delivering and rehabilitation affordable housing units in the past.
According to the Metro IAF website, the coalition is responsible for creating 6,400 units of affordable housing and apartments, including over 3,000 Nehemiah homes
James also committed to hosting a city council speaker debate at the St. Paul Community Baptist Church of which the eight candidates will debate on affordable housing.
“The speaker is the second most powerful position in the city of New York when it comes to resources and we need the next speaker to commit themselves to a bigger and better plan for housing and to support this plan going forward,” said James.
Brawley told KCP South Bronx Churches, who has been leading the charge to NYCHA rehabilitation and affordable housing for 13 years, was one of his motivations in joining the coalition. The Reverend also admitted he could no longer ignore the cry of his congregation who complain about the conditions . Brawley’s church draws members from Linden, Pink and Boulevard Houses.
“Our members come out of public housing and that’s why we’re in the fight,” said Brawley.
Brawley said he is in talks with City Councilmember Inez Barron (D-East New York) and Williams about the proposal presented to the mayor and looks forward to working with his elected officials to push their proposals forward.