EastNewYork.com is thrilled to announce the newest installment of the EMPOWER ENY Series with an upcoming event titled “Discovering the Keys to Affordable Housing”. The in-person expert panel discussion and workshop will take place on Saturday, June 24th from 12pm – 2pm at the NYPD Community Center, located at 127 Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn NY.   Attendees will participate in engaging conversations and workshops on navigating the affordable housing lottery, rental assistance programming, first-time homebuyer initiatives, new local developments and much more. This event is open to eve ..read more

The New York City District Council of Carpenters have endorsed Chris Banks for City Council in the 42nd District. This is a huge endorsement for Banks, as he is running to unseat Charles Barron, who has been either a Council member or Assembly member in East New York for that past 20 years. Joseph Geiger, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, New York City District Council of Carpenters stated in a press release, “The NYC Carpenters Union is proud to lend its support to Chris Banks for City Council in District 42. We are confident that Chris will continue dedicating his life to New York families once ..read more

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the EastNewYork.Com team is excited to take part in launching #aBetterBK. Led by Love & Kindness mental health services, a women and minority led licensed mental health group practice located in Brooklyn.  #aBetterBK is a response to the growing mental health crisis in Brooklyn, where residents – particularly those in low-income and marginalized communities – face significant barriers to accessing quality mental health care.   Brooklyn is one of the most diverse boroughs in New York City, and indeed the world. With over 2.5 million residen ..read more

by Chris Banks, Candidate for New York City Council 42nd District, covering East New York, Starrett City, Brownsville, Canarsie, East Flatbush This is an open letter to the Mayor and City Council members, who have the ability and power to freeze rent hikes for community members who are living in rent stabilized apartments. Last week the Rent Guidelines Board voted for proposed rent hikes on rent-stabilized apartments throughout New York City, including District 42, which covers our communities of East New York, Brownsville, Starrett City, Canarsie, and East Flatbush. Families in our communitie ..read more

On Thursday, March 30th, EastNewYork.com and Equity Platforms hosted the “EMPOWER ENY: Leadership Roundtable” with some of East New York’s most prolific community influencers. Included on the panel were Nikki Lucas (NYS Assemblywoman), Albert Scott (Chairman at ENY Economic Society), Franklyn Mena (Executive Director at Universe City NYC), Camille Newman (Director at LDC ENY’s Women’s Business Center, Heather Day (Program Manager at NeON), and Vernon J. (Founder of Equity Platforms, Inc.). The event marked the official launch of the EMPOWER ENY Campaign, which is aimed at bringing community me ..read more

Pictured left to right: DOE Chancellor David Banks, Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas, Freida Menos (Rep Hakeem Jeffries office) As part of Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas’ 21st Century Rescue Plan for East Brooklyn, her promise of securing a brand-new football field for Thomas Jefferson HS Campus is immediately becoming a reality. Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas stated, “we are beginning the process of “Rescuing” East Brooklyn. My 21st Century Rescue Plan for East Brooklyn is a real plan that addresses many issues that have plagued East Brooklyn neighborhoods for the past 20 years. The neglect of the Thomas Jeff ..read more

By Lloyd Reid for EastNewYork.com In New York City outdoor space of any kind is important for tenants living in large buildings, whether the buildings are private, or city owned. Recently NYCHA tenants in East New York’s Linden Houses put up a fight, with the support of Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas, to keep their outdoor space. The developers who now manage Linden Houses had plans to do away with the outdoor space throughout the development, until Assemblywoman Lucas informed them that the tenants were unhappy with the plan. Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas stated, “outdoor space in large buildings is i ..read more

OpEd by S. Wright for BrooklynBuzz.com The issue of gentrification in Brooklyn (and other urban areas) is a complex one with multiple contributing factors. While progressives may have played a role in advocating for certain policies or initiatives that have contributed heavily to gentrification, they are not the sole reason that there is so much gentrification in Brooklyn. Gentrification is a process of urban development where a previously working-class or low-income neighborhood is transformed into a more affluent and expensive one, often through the influx of more affluent residents and busi ..read more

The City Council race in East New York is going to be very interesting this year. It was announced this week that Chris Banks has more community and financial support than anyone else in the 42nd District City Council race, according to the official report from the Campaign Finance Board. The 42nd District covers East New York, Starrett City, as well as parts of Brownsville, Canarsie and East Flatbush. Chris Banks stated, “we know we have the support of the community, but when you see the official report confirming what we already knew to be true, it’s a humbling feeling. I don’t take the supp ..read more

Did you know that over 33% of the residents in East New York are severely rent burdened, meaning they spend more than half of their income on rent? At the same time, the vacancy rate is only 5%, indicating that there is a high demand for housing in the area. Burdened by a poverty rate of over 28%, this then leads many residents to struggle to make ends meet, which is exacerbated by few available opportunities for job creation and quality education. Moreover, East New York ranks as a 5 out of 5 on the Heat Vulnerability Index (HVI), which exacerbates pre-existing health conditions. In both New ..read more