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Dear John
Please note! We are in the formal “communications blackout” period, less than 90 days from the November general election. To comply with election law, we are restricted with what we can discuss in mass communications until Election Day. We will continue to keep our community updated, but bear with us as we pare down and change content to comply with election law. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
BQE Closures
Please note! Due to ongoing repairs on the BQE, several entrance ramps in and around our community will be closed from 10/14 through 10/16.
* Southbound
+ Flush Ave Entrance Ramp
+ Sands Street Entrance Ramp
* Northbound
+ Old Fulton Street Entrance Ramp
+ Atlantic Avenue Entrance Ramp
+ Prospect Expressway Entrance Ramp
Asylum Seeker Update
For almost two years now, there has been a historic (but not unprecedented ([link removed]) ) movement of people into our City. These asylum seekers, notably different ([link removed]) than migrants because they are going through the legal process of claiming asylum, come from countries across the globe, from Russia to Senegal to Mauritania to Honduras. The majority are coming from South American nations, with a significant part of the population in New York City coming from Venezuela (around 16,000-20,000). While the vast majority of asylum seekers and refugees are coming from Latin America, far too often, Black migrants and those coming from African nations are invisible in our policy conversations. We must remember that all refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, no matter their country of origin, need our help at this time.
Right now, over 110,000 asylum seekers have passed through our City. Republican governors on the Southern Border have bused thousands to our City, but many have also come to New York City on their own. Currently, around 61,000 are in the City’s care, which means they are currently placed in emergency hotel shelters, HERRC (a shelter run by Health + Hospitals or H+H rather than the Department of Homeless Services or DHS), or Respite Center (a short term shelter run by the Office of Emergency Management or OEM). The vast majority of asylum seekers are held in shelters in Manhattan (43%), while Brooklyn hosts only 14%. Our friends at Gowanus Mutual Aid are also hosting a winter clothing drive to help asylum seekers on 10/12 and 10/13, and you can drop off those materials at Dancewave (182 4th Ave) from 10 AM - 5 PM.
While xenophobic politicians have stoked fear among New Yorkers, our City has the capacity to accommodate these new arrivals; we simply lack the leadership to coordinate all levels of government to support new arrivals. To start, we need the federal government to expedite work authorizations for asylum seekers. I’ve heard from immigration advocates and asylum seekers that they are desperate to get out of the shelters and start a new life for themselves and their families, but that starts with getting a job. The President ([link removed]) recently expanded Temporary Protected Status ([link removed]) to Venezuelans, which will make thousands of people eligible for work permits, but there are still many languishing in our legal processes.
From the state, we need assistance in identifying new sites for asylum seeker short-term housing as well as funding to cover the rising costs of this recent influx of people. I’m proud of our City’s dignified response to house new New Yorkers, but we need state assistance to ensure we can continue to provide this welcome. On the City level, beyond the end of scapegoating asylum seekers, we need at least $70 million in legal services funding to help asylum seekers fill out their applications. Asylum seekers have one year after arrival to apply for asylum and ensure they're on the pathway to legal status, but our City has lagged ([link removed]) in helping new arrivals submit this paperwork. This investment will help asylum seekers become self-reliant and save our City millions in the long run. I hope this broad overview of what’s going on is helpful, and please
don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.
Community Bulletin
* We’ve heard from many residents that they’ve experienced some difficulty getting curbside composting options for their large buildings. Thankfully, our friends at Brooklyn SWAB ([link removed]) are hosting an online event on 10/12 to help residents organize to bring brown bins to their buildings. RSVP here ([link removed]) .
* Heads up! The Carroll Park asphalt area will be closed Thursday, 10/12, through Wednesday, 10/18, and the Department of Environmental Protection installs new rainwater retention tanks, and the park’s asphalt will be redone.
* Our office is proud to be hosting an e-waste drop-off and compost bin giveaway on 10/15 on Beverley Road! Bring your large electronics for recycling and sign up to get a free Brown Bin from the City all in one day. RSVP ([link removed]) to reserve your compost bin.
* You have the right to repairs, heat, and if you’re rent-stabilized, even more! Come by the Park Slope Library on 10/17 at 5:30 PM for aKnow Your Rights workshop ([link removed]) led by the Fifth Ave Committee. If you’re a tenant, this workshop will help you learn your legal rights and help you organize against unscrupulous landlords.
* The Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District is partnering with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy to bring a tree care workshop to 5th Avenue in the South Slope on Saturday, 10/21 at 10 AM. Sign up and learn more! ([link removed])
* The Department for the Aging is hosting its Annual Plan Summary Public Hearings at the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging on Wednesday, 10/25, at 10 AM. This hearing is an opportunity for members of the public to review the 2024-25 Annual Plan ([link removed]) and give testimony on programs and services provided by NYC Aging. No RSVP is required to attend.
* The NYC Open Data Team at the Office of Technology and Innovation has published their call for proposals for NYC Open Data Week 2024! They’re looking for presentations, talks, workshops, demos, and data visualizations that celebrate open data and NYC. The deadline to submit a proposal is 11/22. Learn more and submit at open-data.nyc ([link removed]) .
* Do you love rat prevention work? Are you interested in helping your community? The Health Department’s Bureau of Veterinary and Pest Control Services is looking for passionate individuals to join their team at Rat Academy. Check out their job postings ([link removed]) for more information.
In Solidarity,
Shahana
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