From the COLlive Inbox:
Dear Toshvei Hashchunah of Kan Tziva Hashem Es Habrocha – fellow residents of Crown Heights,
Many things are happening lately on our streets that add inconvenience and possibly threaten our community.
Some examples:
-The CitiBike racks on Eastern Parkway.
-NYC Link5G towers/kiosks put by NYC on our city streets in disproportionate numbers.
-3 New MTA city bus stops/routes all over Albany Ave and on Empire Blvd that were just approved on the 2023 “Redesign”.
–MULTIPLE proposed homeless shelters in south Crown Heights / East Flatbush in addition to the mega homeless shelter development on Albany/Clarkson. (Besides for the many homeless shelters already in Crown Heights that were placed here 2 years ago)
Most of these things (and many others affecting our Shchunah) needed to be approved by our local Brooklyn Community Board 9 in order to be put into action.
Unfortunately, the community has very little representation on that board, and only a few people were able to object on our behalf when these important issues came up for a vote.
Therefore, we are hoping to IYH change that.
The application to get on to Brooklyn Community Board 9 committee are now open for a very short time. Qualified candidates have the pathway to get on the Board with the support of local leaders. We want to make this happen. And have local Lubavitch representation.
Applications have opened in all five boroughs for 2023. In Brooklyn, the Deadline is Feb. 14.
There are 59 boards total, each corresponding with a community district, groupings of neighborhoods that can include up to 250,000 people.
Each board has up to 50 members, all volunteers, and have no minimum number of members. Board members serve via staggered two-year terms, which means half must be reappointed or replaced every year.
All of those people are appointed by their own borough president. City Council members can recommend new applicants, but the final call rests with the BP.
We are a group of Askonim looking for young Yungerleit and working mature bochurim that are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved to benefit the Rebbe’s community of Crown Heights, Kan Tziva Hashem es Habracha.
It’s easy to talk and kvetch, why didn’t this Askan do this, and why didn’t that Askan do that etc. Now is time for action to get involved yourself to benefit our Shchunah, and not just “kvetch.”
You can email chaskonim@gmail.com for more information on how to apply to join the community board 9 or speak to any of the local Crown Heights Askonim.
Thank You,
CH Askonim United
Can someone explain to me, very simply, what the issue is with Citi Bike docks?
As for the 5G towers, when kiosks went up all over the city with almost none in CH, I recall people complaining that CH was being left out.
Nobody wants a homeless shelter in their neighborhood but it has to be somewhere. At least propose some alternative or middle ground.
Are placed on Eastern Parkway’s service road , taking up about 5-6 parking spaces on a street that’s are already hard to find parking on.
The issue can easily be fixed by putting the bike racks on the island, and not on the service road.
To make some noise with no point
What’s a problem with city bus on Albany ?!?
To answer your questions, City bikes take up precious parking with space already being at a premium. Many of the bike racks are placed instead of parking spots. The 5G towers, we all know what happened to way too many people that lived in 706 E. parkway. Basic research will show that radiation is a very real threat. This is also harmful to the many recovering patients who need to be careful with these things. The amount of proposed towers is unheard of and not healthy. If these towers were so efficient we would not need so many. Lastly, No… Read more »
“Slum neighborhood like east New York?” News flash: young couples and grandchildren live in east New York too. I guess you’re ok with “putting their safety” on the line. This whole comment sounds pretty racist to me.
Or, in other words, “Shut up, because I don’t have any rational response.”
Put them on older houseboats.
These ships are unsailable, yet can provide great housing.
Private bed rooms
Private bath and shower
Large kitchen
Large dining facilities
Recreational areas
The best choice.
Plus they don’t disturb anyone
There are citi bike docks all over Crown Heights -each dock takes away 6-8 parking spots, it is not just on eastern parkway. it is stupid. I am all for bike rentals put them on the island and there is one by the Brooklyn Children’s Museum -which has a very wide sidewalk put them there. No, they purposely want to take away the ability to drive and park. The homeless is a huge issue. And this community MUST get together and fight this. This will destroy the community and the safety is a real issue. They are literally dumping the… Read more »
What is so bad with the city bikes? Please explain.
On eastern parkway and kingston across 770 thay displaces many parking spots on a block with allot of traffic and buildings.
What’s the problem with city bikes? Well they put them in middle of the narrowest streets. And in the freezing cold weather no one is even using them. So we lose a whole block of parking spots and cause a whole lot of traffic.
It takes away parking
They take up parking space which is much more needed than bikes. It’s the hard truth. Like it or not this is a community with children and other people that need cars. This is not Bushwick where we have predominantly singles living in studios and their bike they take to work and if they need to transport a child they put them in a seat in the back of the bike. Lets be honest here. We have enough bike racks in the community that whoever needs has access to them as well. We don’t need more.
theyre a great help to people who aren as lucky to afford a car. theyre an easy cheap convenient way to get around. boo hoo you lost 4 spots, theyre all over manhattan which s much harder to find parking, and h\guess what the locals did there? they got on with life. theres more people without cars than with cars
When you have half a dozen kids (ka”h) and need to shlep a lot of groceries, you’re going to use a bike? Get real. In Manhattan, where people have 1 designer kid and a dog, maybe it can work, but not in Crown Heights.
1) most of Manhattan streets you CAN’T park on except at night, so for them it isn’t a bother. 2) second, the city and state officials and everything around that have a serious hate issue towards religious ( specifically Jewish, although they have for Christians too.) So anyway they can find to make our lives inconvenient or miserable they will latch on. Problem is we can’t prove they are doing this because of antisemitism because it is all legal. 3) it ISN’T safe for any of us to walk on our streets because of attacks happening right and left, and… Read more »
It’s crazy I’m 31 and can’t walk the streets without fear, and scared to come close to any gentile because you don’t know who is gonna punch you!
We don’t bother them why are they starting up with us?
You have to be chosen by the borough president to be a board member- the board is made up of multiple committees (parks, education, ulurp ect) The best thing to do is to apply to be a board member, if you are not chosen you should join a committee as a resident committee member. I’m pretty sure anyone who goes to these meetings becomes a member. Pick what you are passionate about, see when they meet and add it to your calendar. Additionally they are hosting a “learn about your community board ” meeting next wednesday. If you live north… Read more »
How can someone apply to be part of the community board committee without actually applying to be a board member?
What is the process??
The first thing is to show up to a meeting and just ask or you can call the office and ask.
Call the community board
They are listed Community Board 9 on Google
Thank You for bringing up a great point. We need more Yidden on East Flatbush boards. This is the last frontiers for our community to grow at this point. Much is at stake. These meetings do not take a lot of time but they do impact our future. Many young families are buying houses with sheer miracles and now so much is at stake with this huge shelter coming to town.
The Power of Committee Membership – Look at how much trouble I have caused attending Brooklyn(“BK”) CB 9 & CB 17 Committees remotely from Long Island. ( you dont even have to turn on your webcam), even though I am not on either community board. BK CB 17 Board Membership ( not committee membership) requires in person attendance, and BK CB 9 will be switching over to in person in the near future. BK CB 9 Website – About BKCB9 – Brooklyn Community Board 9 (nyc.gov) BK CB 17 Website – Brooklyn Community Board 17 – Brooklyn Community Board 17… Read more »
May these efforts lead to success and be blessed with Hashem’s mercy.
Thank you to who ever initiated this. Misa hu haikar!
Why are you only asking the men to consider this important role. Very short sighted.
Women can definitely apply. Just so you know this entails a long meeting once a month and to be effective you should keep abreast of what is going on in the committees to the best of your ability before and after the meetings. This is also an opportunity to make a kiddush Hashem
What is wrong with bus stops & routes???
I take the bus all the time & would love to have more stops & routes!
They’re moving the b43 from Brooklyn avenue to Albany
Whaat? For anyone who drives in Crown Heights, this makes No sense.
Albany Avenue is narrower and already more congested than Brooklyn! There are stores and more schools!
When ULY is dismissed, the streets are already unsafe for our kids!
Add a bus route and uh oh, chas v’shalom.
The streets of crown heights need to feel safe
Who they are?
Names please
Top concern!
It is so bad for health! C’mon we gotta stop this!
You aren’t using wifi, cellphone and laptops at home ?
And your cell phone and laptop don’t work fine as is?? Have you researched the dangers of 5G? Apparently not. Definitely not worth the risks, just to have faster internet.
Dear friends, Thank you for taking the time to PROTECT OUR FUTURE! Hashem should bentch you tenfold. We need you more than you realize! With the shelters crime will go up even more.How many of these homeless were acting inappropriately this summer while our kids were playing in Rutland park. May you be met with much success for taking the time and initiative.
So as I understand it, you would like fewer bikes, fewer bus stops and thus farther to walk along increasingly dangerous streets with more homeless people outside rather than in shelters, and less reliable cellphone service should you need assistance in those circumstances? Sounds like a plan. Yes, you should definitely be in government. You sound just the type.
Its mind boggling how you think the homeless will sit in the shelter all day. They want fresh air like you and to walk the streets as you do but guess what they are threat to our safety and kids. You think now is bad? Wait until the summer. Last summer the kids were in Rutland park with a guy with his pants literally half down. Reliable cell phone service? so your phone service was unreliable all these years ?
Its “Progressive minded” people who think like this that are currently in leadership roles that brought us to the point we are at now. So obtuse that they can not possibly see the damage being done to the greater good since it is being clouded with “feel good” terms such as “equal housing,Supportive housing, Nutrition for all, Less pollution, 5G service ” and all the other good buzz words. Wake up and see the pain and how incomparable it is to the gain.
I agree, this all sounds so wrong. I would want more cameras on streets, and Crown Heights has much less of parking problem than Borough Park or Williamsburg.
Is they actually REMOVED bus stops and and made them further apart plus adding bus service on empire which is actually exciting and much needed. The public transportation to get to one end of ch from the other is horrible and looking fwd to the new route.
Most of the units being built around kingsbrook dont have any plans for homeless or have a few units for homeless . Only the physch center project has many units for homeless.
One of the kingsbrook sites is being turned into a massive senior living complex.Now instead of hyping people up to protest against the non existent homeless shelters, instead lets be on board so they design it for frum people so our frum seniors can move in (and move out of the townhouses and 3bdrms that they cant mantain right now- freeing up space for younger families)
Did you see any new project within the last five years be built for frum people even if the developer has a long payos etc . Don’t kid yourself , it won’t happen and even if ten Jews go in these complexes it’s not worth it . The pain to the gain and our wife being scared to walk home at night . Sorry
Physch unit plus homeless ? Those words already can tell you what is coming . Don’t get fooled by terms such as supportive housing and elderly .
Is there a reason that only young men are being asked to get involved?
Many middle aged and older men and women could and should participate. Retired 50 and 60 year olds could have time, energy and experience to be valuable members.
Though I don’t know any retired 50 year olds, do you??
Why only bochurim and yungerleit? Many times it can be hard for them to commit to something for two years being that people move around at that stage.
Because this article conveniently left women out of the conversation yet again, I would like to clarify that positions are open to women as well because thank Hashem it’s 2023 and we have made some progress.
…who aren’t going to be taken in by sweet talk and nice-sounding proposals that in fact are harmful.
Yikes the misogyny! Thank Gd leaving men in charge of the world for the entire history of humanity has turned out great. No complaints here.
There wasn’t a word in my post about women. Yet you jump to the conclusion that there’s “misogyny” in it. Oif dem ganev brent der hittel…
you responded to a comment regarding women, so anyone with common sense would conclude you yourself were also referring to women. don’t put the crazy on someone else when the fault lies with you.
…the point of the comment was that whoever is chosen shouldn’t be because of their gender, but because of their capabilities. But again, you seem to have jumped to conclusions that this means that women are more prone to fall for pretty talk. If you’re looking for a misogynist, I can offer you a mirror.
Very few Jewish residents participate in community wide events. These events are deemed “non kosher.”. It is aspirational to want to involve young men in moving the community forward. I serve on the 71st Precinct Community Council Executive Board. Members of the board are all ,50+ and I would say likewise on the CB boards. The members of these boards are seasoned and eloquent speakers. Anash of all ages and genders need to be involved on these councils The meetings are a time commitment. Retirees would serve well as fewer pressures with families. Anyone serving should consider it a full… Read more »
Who are the CH Askonim United?
I dont have an issue, in fact its a good thing but would like to know who is representing us?
agree, would add that the comments here also show not much unity and leadership in crown heights.
This is simply good old fashioned racism. It sounds like you’re scared of anything other than you and your immediate community being comfortable here. You might not use Citi Bikes but lots of people do. You might not use the bus but lots of people do. You might not need high speed internet but lots of people do (even for parnasah). You and your community BH don’t need homeless shelters but lots of people nearby do.
I think you need a compound upstate like Monroe. You won’t have to worry about anyone else but yourself.
There are ways to have the bikes without them taking up badly needed parking spaces. There are ways to have the buses without exacerbating traffic in the neighborhood. There are lots of other places in the city available for homeless shelters. And so forth.
So quit it with the bogus cries of “racism,” which really means “I don’t want to listen to anything you say because I have no rational response, and I hate you for making me feel stupid.”
Who are the Crown Heights askonim? Names?
You complain when we get these benefits for our community, but if we were left out you would start yelling on about anti-Semitism. There’s no win.
None of these things are benefits. Increased police presence and apprehension of criminals, that would be a benefit. Bike racks that Crown Heightsers with large families (ka”h) have no use for are not. And so forth.
There are NYS and NYC elected officials that you can and should reach out to to voice your opinions and see where they are at on these issues. To see whose district you are in for the City Council go to NYC Council and go to find my district, then type in your address and make sure to use commas.
They are the ones enabling the problems. They have not helped us, nor do they ever plan to. Going to them yet again is counter productive.
Here is a practical way to help our community! Thank you so much for making this information known and trying to address these critical issues! At the forefront is the 5G health issue and the homeless shelter. I’m afraid to walk to East Flatbush to visit my children/grandchildren on Shabbos. If I have to walk alone, I dont go. My 9 yo grandson was walking home from shul on Shabbos, and when he passed the area near the shelter on Clarkson a black teen randomly slapped him on the face . Its a very dangerous and criminal population. A homeless… Read more »
For all you wanting to welcome the homeless with open arms. I have 10 minutes of security footage of a homeless man prowling on my front porch, eventually walking away with everything that was on it (kids umbrellas, seltzer, an extension cord) which he dumped into my $1,000 stroller and walked off with. Not before peering into all the windows and checking the mailboxes. The stroller was found a week later right near the homeless shelter with a bag of weed inside of it. If your answer is to lock up my stroller on my own private, enclosed, covered porch… Read more »
granted we want Mashiach now and all sorts of miracles, but Brooklyn is how you describe, not simple to change. in the spirit of Basi Legani, try to make the lowest place decent … Brooklyn !
LOL! You left an $1,000 (!!!) stroller outside unlocked, and you’re complaining!?
Someone once wrote to the Rebbe that his car had a break-in (probably wanted a brochah). The Rebbe inquired if they had a proper security system. אין סומכין על הנס
It takes enforcement of anti-crime laws.
If they make a bunch of homeless shelters in CH then the property value of the area will go down and then this area might actually affordable for people
Amazing vnahapoch hu lol
The group that is buying overwhelmingly, Lubavitch Jews, will continue to buy because of it being CH – small effect on demand and price.
The crime discount is very small.
HH
Make no mistake, they are moving the B43 bus to Albany (from Brooklyn) in order to transport the ppl from the drug shelters by Albany and Troy, through crown heights. If you think we had a problem before, good old NYC has just made it worse.
I don’t have solutions for the other issues, but I do have one for the homeless shelter. This may sound hard to believe, but there is still a sizeable area in Brooklyn that is underdeveloped. It’s on the fringes of East New York and also Flatlands. There is plenty of room to build shelters, and it’s not adjacent to family residential neighborhoods. Some of it is warehouses, and some just swampland. You pass it on the way to the ohel, if you exit the belt Pkwy. A Google map will show it. I think someone should mention this at the… Read more »
I like COL. But increasingly, whenever I see an article, there immediately is some woke/liberal comment that does not appear to reflect the feelings, or Jewish needs of Our community. It then results in a lot of people rebutting the original comment. This causes a lot of frustration. For it appears that the community is divided, and that there is no Hashpoah or Jewish values here. Some case(s) in point: Whoever does not recognize that there are inordinate homeless shelters here, and homeless people here, and consequently an inordinate amount of crime and violence, is just plain dense. I, for… Read more »
I believe that people who are not from our community are trying to spread negativity on this platform and claim that the injustices perpetrated on our community don’t exist, while sane people are dealing with real issues and trying to solve them.
Maybe we can demand due to COVID that any and all members of the local homeless shelters and whoever is involved in implementing/building these projects should be required to take the COVID vaccine and boosters every 6 months. The issue of increasing crime should resolve itself within a couple of years.