Also, you can follow us on Instagram.
Also, you can follow us on Instagram.
Greenwood Heights Association
La Asociación de Greenwood Heights de Brooklyn
The Brooklyn Greenwood Heights Association is a nonhierarchical, all volunteer community group dedicated to organizing Greenwood Heights' residents on a wide range of issues. Our goal is to raise awareness, improve quality of life, and foster a vibrant, inclusive community.
Join our mailing list to get involved: GreenwoodHeightsAssoc@gmail.com
La Asociación de Greenwood Heights de Brooklyn es un grupo comunitario no jerárquico dedicado a organizar a los residentes de Greenwood Heights en una amplia gama de temas. Nuestro objetivo es aumentar la conciencia, mejorar la calidad de vida y fomentar una comunidad vibrante e inclusiva.
Únase a nuestra lista de correo para involucrarse: GreenwoodHeightsAssoc@gmail.com
→ Meeting & Petition
Greenwood Heights Association Community Meeting took place at Green-Wood Cemetery’s Modern Chapel, on Sunday, April 7th at 5 pm
The community addressed the Proposed Homeless Shelter on 25th Street
NYC Council Member Alexa Avilés talked to our community to address concerns regarding the proposed shelter.
A proposal has been made to convert 225 25th Street (across from the future Green-Wood Cemetery Education and Welcome Center) into a 300+ bed homeless shelter by controversial developers David Levitan and Joel Shafran.
Community District 7 already has more than 14 shelters—the second most beds in a Brooklyn district per capita—and this proposal raises significant concerns about resource allocation, infrastructure strain, and community well-being.
Your voice is essential. Join us to share your thoughts and concerns about the impact of another shelter on Greenwood Heights and collaborate on solutions that respect the dignity of all community members, including those in need.
Sign the petition to ask our elected officials to take up the fight against more shelters in Community District 7.
La Reunión Comunitaria de la Asociación de Greenwood Heights se llevó a cabo en la Capilla Moderna del Cementerio Green-Wood, el domingo 7 de abril a las 5 pm. La comunidad abordó el tema del Albergue para Personas Sin Hogar propuesto en la Calle 25.
Se ha propuesto convertir el 225 de la Calle 25 (frente al futuro Centro Educativo y de Bienvenida del Cementerio Green-Wood) en un albergue para personas sin hogar por los desarrolladores polémico David Levitan y Joel Shafran.
El Distrito Comunitario 7 ya tiene más de 14 albergues, el segundo número más alto camas en un distrito de Brooklyn por cápita, y esta propuesta suscita preocupaciones significativas sobre la asignación de recursos, la presión sobre la infraestructura y el bienestar comunitario.
Su voz es esencial. Únase a nuestra asociación para compartir sus ideas y preocupaciones sobre el impacto de otro albergue más en Greenwood Heights y para colaborar en soluciones que respeten la dignidad de todos los miembros de la comunidad, incluyendo aquellos en situación de necesidad.
Firme la petición para pedirles a nuestros funcionarios electos que luchen contra más albergues en el Distrito Comunitario 7.
→ Reading List and Links
The following are a selection of links to learn more about homeless shelters city wide and in Community District 7.
Citywide:
-
On New York City’s Failure to Comply with “Fair Share” Requirements: Comptroller’s Report (2023)
-
Fair Share? Siting New York City's Municipal Facilities (2023)
On the developers of 225 25th Street:
Affordable Housing:
- The Moral and Economic Answer to NYC’s Homelessness Isn’t Shelter, It’s Housing
-
New York’s Housing Shortage Pushes Up Rents and Homelessness
- New Yorkers in Need: The Housing Insecurity Crisis
Community District 7:
- Sunset Park locals bemoan cluster of hotel-shelters (2021)
- Residents Ask City for Help Addressing Quality of Life Issues After Hotel Shelters Pop Up in Sunset Park (2021)
-
Sunset Park Is Hopping Mad Over De Blasio’s Hotel Shelters (2018)
Other Districts:
- City Cancels Bronx Homeless Shelter Project that Faced Fierce Community Opposition (2022)
→ Contact Our City Officials
// Scroll down for our open letter
Mayor, Office of the (OOM)
(212) 788-3000
Borough President - Brooklyn
Antonio Reynoso
(718) 802-3900
Deparment of Homeless Services / Department of Social Services
DSS/HRA Commissioner
Molly Wasow Park
(929) 221-7315
DSS Chief of Staff
Karen H. St. Hilaire
(929) 221-5277
Senior Advisor, Housing & Homelessness
Sara Zuiderveen
(929) 221-6466
Department of Buildings
Commissioner
James S. Oddo
(212) 393-2001
Chief of Staff
Jason Razefsky
(212) 323-8940
DISTRICT 38
4417 4th Avenue, Ground Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11220
Phone: 718-439-9012
City Council Member
Alexa Avilés
District38@council.nyc.gov
Chief of Staff
Edward Cerna
ecerna@council.nyc.gov
ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 51
Assembly Member
Marcela Mitaynes
mitaynesm@nyassembly.gov
ad51@nyassembly.gov
Deputy District Director
mesaescaniod@nyassembly.gov
New York State Senator 26th District
Andrew Gounardes
Phone: (518) 455-3270
gounardes@nysenate.gov
Our Open Letter to the Mayor’s Office:
April 11, 2024
To: Mayor Eric Adams, New York City,
cc: Maria Torress Springer, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development, Housing
cc: DSS/HRA Commissioner Molly Wasow Park, First Deputy Commissioner Jill Berry, Department of Social Services - Department of Homeless Services
Dear Mayor Adams,
We write to you on behalf of the residents and stakeholders of Greenwood Heights and Sunset Park, who are deeply concerned about the proposed development of a large-scale homeless shelter at 225 25th Street / 290 24th Street (DOB Job# B01027795 Filing# I1). Our community, which already supports a significant number of shelters within one mile of this location, thinks that the addition of a 300+ bed facility will strain our neighborhood's resources and infrastructure beyond capacity.
Our concerns are not rooted in opposition to aiding those in need. Rather, they are centered on two critical issues: the disproportionate and unfair distribution of shelters within Community District 7, and the selection of developers whose ethical practices have been repeatedly called into question.
At least four (probably more) shelters lie within 5-blocks of this location, which is information you can access–although residents have mentioned shelters on 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 26th, 29th, and 30th Streets—with several more shelters in the 30’s.
How is it possible that the owners of this building: Mr. Levitan, Mr. Shafran, and their associates can even consider opening another shelter within this small neighborhood that while welcoming, is already burdened with municipal facilities? In addition, the decision to continually award shelter contracts to Mr. Levitan and Mr. Shafran, despite significant public disquiet concerning their business conduct, raises substantive questions about the transparency and criteria the City employs in its partner selection process for such critical social services. The choice of developers with a contentious history in managing city shelter contracts casts a shadow over the integrity of the City’s processes, suggesting a disregard for public trust and the welfare of our community's most vulnerable members.
Given these concerns, we respectfully request a detailed explanation of the criteria used for selecting shelter sites and these developers, alongside any due diligence reports or ethical audits of your “fair share” policy. We demand a meaningful engagement with our community, including residents, local businesses, and advocacy groups, to identify and implement solutions that address the needs of the homeless population without compromising the health and vitality of our neighborhoods.
The collective voice of our community, represented by the 600 signatures we have gathered in less than a week primarily from residents within 7 blocks of this proposed site, reflects our steadfast desire for justice, fairness, accountability, and our involvement in decisions that affect our neighborhood's future.
We would like to invite Commissioner Molly Wasow Park to engage with residents in a town hall meeting this month. We feel that this issue is highly urgent, not just due to the new proposed shelter, but also so that you can learn about the critical challenges facing this community where there is a shelter on nearly every block. City Council Member Alexa Aviles mentioned at our recent community meeting that she would help to organize this with the residents and Commissioner, for which we are appreciative.
Respectfully,
Greenwood Heights Association
A Response From: Department of Social Services/Department of Homeless Services (DSS/DHS), April 25th.