Not even freezing temperatures yesterday could stop the East Flatbush Haitian community from unveiling the site where a new 89-unit affordable senior citizen housing complex will triumph on the corner of New York Avenue and Farragut Road in Flatbush.
The Evangelical Crusade Christian-Church and the Bel Community Housing Associates secured the $1.5 million in discretionary capital funding from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams and Council Members Mathieu Eugene (D-Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush, East Flatbush) and Jumaane D. Williams (D-Flatbuch, East Flatbush, Midwood).
The project is part of Adams’ Faith-Based Development Initiative which partners houses of worship and non-profit developers in helping Brooklynites to continue living in the communities they helped make great.
“I commend the Evangelical Crusade of Fishers of Men and BEL Community Housing LLC for their visionary leadership that is creating much-needed low-income housing for our senior neighbors in East Flatbush. This expansion of ministry to the realm of affordable housing is a blessing for our borough,” said Adams.
Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park), who over the years has been very vocal and supportive of the Haitian community in Flatbush, spoke to the crowd about how special this day was for not only the Haitian’s in America, but also back home. “This is Little Haiti everyone and in Little Haiti we’re not only doing things for Haitian people, this senior housing is for all people,” she said.
Williams, who is running for public advocate and is known to only support projects that have a deep amount of affordability for the individuals involved, secured $500,000 of capital fund for the project. “This right here is going to help push back the gentrification. Too often our seniors are being pushed out of their homes. As I’m going across the city, you see people who help make these communities popular, made these communities apprise the people who want to go because they cannot stay here,” said Williams.
Eugene ushered in the future of the complex and how it will be a turning point into sheltering senior citizens in the area,
“Today this place is going to be transformed into shelter, and as we know one of the biggest crisis in New York City now is shelter and housing. This housing is going to be truly affordable, especially for seniors. Seniors who paid their dues already. We owe them,” said Eugene.
