Performed atop the highest point in Brooklyn, N.Y. overlooking the site of the World Trade Center, “Memory Ground” is “a study in melancholy and a series of reflections on time and structure and memory, not just in relation to the 9/11 attacks but also in an abstract expression of loss and remembrance,”  said McDaniel, 27.“

Judith Lichtendorf, 78,  a lifelong Manhattan resident, said she was “shocked” by the music and the setting.

“I didn’t expect it to be this moving, it’s so beautifully written…It was really affecting and really beautiful, and the setting is crazy looking at all of the tombstones and all of the high rises, it’s a very magical, spooky place to be,” said Lichtendorf.

Patricia Flint, 57 a Brooklyn resident,  said the first work in the series was her ,“So love was crowned, but music won the cause,” was her favorite for its uplifting tone and energy despite the sadness and solemnity of the day. 

“[It] was such a beautiful commemoration of the day, something positive for today,” said Flint.

Ilene Richman, 57, of Brooklyn, said the music and setting were “very apropos.”

“This was a perfect place to come to today,” said Richman. “I don’t know much about classical music, but I enjoyed it. It’s just a really great place to be on a day like today.”

The musical event coupled with its location atop Battle Hill made finding peace and comfort more manageable than at other events like the National September 11 Memorial, said Lichtendorf.

“Every once in a while, I’ll go down to the site. It’s not a great place to be. It’s crowded, and there’s a big carnival feeling about it,” said Lichtendorf. “[Green-Wood Cemetery] just seemed like it was going to be an incredible place.”

For some New Yorkers, the weight of the 20th anniversary coupled with the end of the war in Afghanistan added additional pressure to an already heavy day.

Flint described the end of the war in Afghanistan, like the 9/11 attacks, as “so much loss of life and so much injury, devastating injuries, that all feels for nothing.”

Richman said not only are big anniversaries like the 10th or 20th “more difficult” for her than other years because the tragedy of the day is “totally unavoidable, it’s everywhere all week…it’s more resident and sadder than some of the in-between years,” but also “because of the disastrous end of the war in Afghanistan, it’s just feeling very futile and mired in death.”

“It’s just a waste of life on such a grand scale.”

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Instead of visiting potential housing opportunities in person, I had to conduct impromptu meetings with other tenants or landlords through Zoom a couple thousand miles away from my future home. Because of the unprecedented housing circumstances caused by COVID-19, I – like far too many other young people looking to live in New York City – fell prey to an extremely predatory and illegal housing situation.

Upon finding what seemed to be an idyllic metropolitan solace in the very first Bed-Stuy brownstone I virtually toured, I naïvley moved in sight-unseen on July 15th. Initially it seemed like a perfect fit; the property itself was a traditional Brooklyn brownstone first constructed in the late 1880s. There was immediately some obvious structural damage to the building, but I was charmed by the Tiffany-blue interior, the 13-foot ceilings, the bay windows in my room and my five wonderful roommates. Because of these cosmetic, surface level attractions, I thought I would be able to ignore the sagging floorboards or the occasional sparking electrical outlet.

“The house has always been something we stopped and looked at for as long as we lived on this street,” said Tio Hernandez, one of my neighbors. “But after a while it wasn’t because the house looked good no more. It was because it was starting to crumble.”

In August of 2020, I had my very first encounter with the dangers the house on Willoughby Avenue posed. I was taking the trash out and inadvertently stepped on a rotted piece of plywood painted the same terracotta shade as the concrete surrounding it. Instantly my foot burst through the structure and I collapsed down the flight of stairs leading to the basement that the decomposed basement cover had concealed. Luckily I only sustained superficial injuries, but the incident itself led to a series of confrontations from our hostile landlord. Initially he accused me of tampering with the basement in order to lead to my fall, then claimed I had never fallen down in the first place, before finally saying he would fix the damages. 

After enduring months of endless new property damages and a second personal injury – where my bedroom window gusted into my room at a high speed hitting me in the face – my household decided to call 311, a NYC citizen hotline of sorts that allows individuals to seek help for numerous types of disputes, COVID related questions, report power outages and other public issues. We contacted the hotline to request an inspection of the property to be conducted in order to document the lack of repairs and inaction on the part of our landlord.

Following the inspection, on Dec 22, 2020 my household awoke to several alarming notices attached to our front door. The most glaring of them all reading in bolded print “The City of New York has deemed this property uninhabitable and all residents must vacate the property within seven days”. 

On Dec 29, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed and approved an eviction ban or moratorium, essentially establishing that no one in the state could be evicted from their homes on the basis of COVID-19 related non rental payment. Tenants must show documentation of a “COVID related hardship” that led to their inability to continually pay rent in order to qualify and benefit from this moratorium. However, this new eviction ban doesn’t protect many populations of New Yorkers who are facing housing instability or homelessness. 

New Yorkers – like me – who were forced to vacate their homes due to unsafe living conditions documented by New York City’s Housing Preservation & Development office (HPD), are not protected by Cuomo’s eviction moratorium because they don’t meet the criteria necessary for federal protection. Because of this, thousands of tenants are threatened with homelessness if they cannot or do not have the means to relocate or find new dwellings by the allotted time frame. 

“It is really a frightening prospect for many tenants who maybe don’t have the means or options to live in safer homes or are being threatened by predatory landlords,” said Alexander Morris, a volunteer with the mutual aid group, Brooklyn Eviction Defense (BED). 

One perhaps unforeseen silver lining in the struggle for equitable housing and defense against exploitatory landlords is the increase in community organization and aid. When I first moved to NYC, it was my expectation that I wouldn’t necessarily be embraced by my surrounding community. Perhaps there would be polite interactions and daliences, but I subscribed to the belief that New Yorkers simply weren’t neighborly and didn’t concern themselves with the everyday goings of the strangers around them. However, I was entirely mistaken.

The day we woke up to the vacate notice I called several mutual aid groups and free legal service hotlines to see what, if anything, could be done to advocate for myself and my roommates. Immediately I was met with an outpouring of support, concern for my well being, and an abundance of help.

One day my landlord threatened to come and illegally change the locks before Dec 29, the day we were supposed to leave the premises. Fearing for my safety and my belongings, I contacted Brooklyn Eviction Defense and within 30 minutes, nearly 15 volunteers arrived to physically block anyone from Smart Equities or my landlord himself from entering the premises. This constant circulation and rotation of strangers were not only putting their own health and wellbeing at risk, but doing so because they knew we needed help and didn’t have any other options or resources. And BED is only one of dozens of similar organizations in the five boroughs that offer similar services. 

“When I was being illegally evicted from my home on Dean street this summer, I couldn’t believe the sheer amount of people who showed up for us,” said Scout Gottfried, a tenant who was this past summer similarly embroiled in a tenant-landlord housing dispute. “I mean, our community raised thousands of dollars for us during the whole ordeal, brought us meals regularly, and stood guard in front of our house to make sure we were ok. It was something beautiful during such a horrendous ordeal”.

While the dramatics of my own housing dilemma are drawing to a close – squatters recently occupied the vacant hull of the building I used to call home and we have attended our last virtual NYC housing court proceeding – it is obvious that the coronavirus pandemic will only continue to intensify the dire housing situation in this city. With thousands of tenants facing eviction come May when the eviction moratorium is lifted, it is imperative that we continue to serve the needs of those facing housing insecurity and enact a more exhaustive eviction moratorium for the duration of the pandemic. 

The post Willoughby Avenue housing nightmare appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

In an emergency virtual town hall meeting called by the New York City Public Advocate on yesterday, a panel of speakers acknowledged the recent glitches and addressed questions and worries while still putting forth the important message to vote. 

“It’s really frustrating and unfortunate that there have been some problems with absentee ballots in Brooklyn,” said Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York. “The good news is it’s just barely the beginning of October. There is time to fix mistakes.”

Absentee ballots just went out in the mail last week and the problems quickly began.

“I received a ballot package that was addressed to me, but the official ballot envelope that the absentee ballot has to go into before being placed in the return envelope had the name, address, and voter ID of a different person,” Jamal Harley, a Brooklyn resident, said

Harley was told he was going to receive a corrected ballot within the next week or so.

“The employee I spoke with said they made that decision yesterday, so it seemed they were getting through the calls quickly,” said Harley. 

In addition to issues with incorrect personal information, some voters expressed confusion after receiving ballots labeled “military” and no return postage. 

“All absentee ballots say ‘absentee military ballot,’ said Lerner. “In previous years, they’ve said absentee slash military ballot, which means absentee or military ballot. There’s a typo. They left off the slash. It’s the same ballot. There’s no difference between a military ballot and an absentee ballot.” 

Lerner reminded that those affected by financial hardships have the option to hand-deliver their ballot to the Board of Elections, any early voting location in the city, or any election day polling place. 

Zoom hall meeting hosted by the
New York City Public Advocate including panelists who addressed concerns about the recent errors on absentee ballots. Screenshot by Inga Parkel

Amy Torres, the Director of Policy and Advocacy for the Chinese-American Planning Council made clear in order to relieve any hesitation, that once ballots are received they will be secured

“Once they get in, there are mechanisms in place to make sure that they’re secure, to make sure that you’re able to track your vote, and have real faith and confidence restored in our democratic system,” said Torres. 

Torres also recommended that voters have a fallback plan in case the original is foiled.

“Here in New York State where we have three different ways to cast your ballot this year, it’s really important to come up with those contingency plans,” said Torres. 

While mail-in ballots are seen as a safer and more convenient option than going to a physical polling place, each panelist still advocated for early in-person voting. 

“What we’re recommending, if you can, vote early. Please do so in the days that we have before,” said Jumaane Williams, the New York City Political Advocate. “We know that systems are going to be overwhelmed, and we want to prevent that, so if you can vote early that helps the system from being overwhelmed.”

Each panelist drove home the importance of voting. 

“Vote like your life depends on it,” said Stefani Zinerman the Civic Engagement Chair of the Brooklyn NAACP. “Because it does.”

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Italian eatery, Dino, in Fort Greene, has adapted to outdoor dining by adding a handful of tables out front, with pre-existing outside seating in their backyard.  Business has been steady since the reopening of the restaurant on June 22 and there have been no layoffs.

The 10-year-old restaurant is named after the owners’ — Thiru and Heather — teenage son, Dino. And while they had grand plans to throw a celebration to honor this milestone, it was canceled due to COVID-19. With outdoor dining ending on October 31, the restaurant is exploring the option of converting the upstairs to expand their capacity for indoor dining. 

In the meantime, with Dino serving lunch and dinner 7 days a week, their expanded outdoor dining service is helping to bring in revenue in a time when it’s needed most.

Patrons at Dino, an Italian restaurant in Fort Greene, seated outside at the restaurant, September 14, 2020. Photo by Courtney Guarino

Chris, a bartender and server, makes cocktails at Dino in Fort Greene, September 14, 2020. Photo by Courtney Guarino

The backyard seating area at Dino in Fort Greene, September 14, 2020. Photo by Courtney Guarino

Patrons are served bread at Dino in Fort Greene, September 14, 2020. Photo by Courtney Guarino

Chris, a bartender and server at Dino in Fort Greene, rings up an order, September 14, 2020. Photo by Courtney Guarino.

The front of Dino in Fort Greene, September 14, 2020. Photo by Courtney Guarino

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Our first episode takes listeners to Crown Heights, a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in central Brooklyn, where two high rise residential towers threaten to block the sunlight upon which the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s greenhouses rely. Rents are rising fast in Crown Heights, and affordable housing is increasingly hard to find, but will community members welcome more housing even if it comes at the expense of a thriving botanic garden?

Additional Reading:

• Supply Skepticism: Housing Supply and Affordability (Vicki Been, Ingrid Gould Ellen, Katherine O’Regan)
• City NIMBYs (Vicki Been)

The post Crown Heights – Franklin Avenue appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Our third episode revolves around Industry City, a large shopping complex in Sunset Park, that is poised to increase its square footage from 5.3 to 6.6 million square feet as part of a comprehensive rezoning. Developers believe the rezoning will bring new jobs, while residents fear those new opportunities will attract wealthier households and displace a part of Brooklyn many hold dear. Do new jobs and commercial activity lead to gentrification and displacement?

Correction: This episode cites a statistic that 57 percent of current workers at Industry City are from Sunset Park. In fact, 57 percent are residents of Brooklyn, as reported by an HR&A Analysis in 2017.

Additional Reading:

• Making Sense of Incentives: Taming Business Incentives to Promote Prosperity (Tim Bartik, Upjohn Institute)
• Who’s to blame for high housing costs? It’s more complicated than you think. (Jenny Schuetz, Brookings Institution)
• Workforce Housing and Middle Income Housing Subsidies: A Primer (Jenny Schuetz, Brookings Institution)

The post Sunset Park-Industry City appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

 The three-month shutdown and precipitous fall in revenue have clobbered the business, which before the pandemic averaged around $100,000 in sales each month.   

“The money I am making now is 8% of what I was making before the pandemic,” said owner James Daniel, who reopened his once-thriving restaurant two weeks ago.   

 Social distancing efforts have devastated New York City’s restaurant industry but the crisis is just beginning. Outdoor dining reopens on Monday with the start of Phase 2, but experts still expect to see a wave of closures in the coming months as government aid efforts fail to meet the needs of these businesses.  

 Two-thirds of restaurant owners said in a survey that they would need a 70 % occupancy rate in order to reopen and survive, according to the non-profit NYC Hospitality Alliance. 

 It’s the smaller, independent eateries that are suffering the most. Local bars and restaurants lack the financing options available to large chains that can tap bank loans and investors for more cash.  

 In April, the federal government introduced a $349 billion forgivable loan package called the Paycheck Protection Program to give “mom and pop” shops emergency funds. But less than 20% of requests by small businesses were approved in New York state by May, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.   

 But even those that do receive the money find it coming up short. 

 Daniel said he received a $25,000 loan for Bedford Manor under the PPP, and a $10,000 loan from the Small Business Administration.  

  “That’s $35,000, which I used to make in a week before March,” said Daniel. “I pay $10,000 monthly rent and I don’t even make even a fraction of it. How long can I survive? Maybe another 6 weeks.”   

 Daniel had 13 employees before the pandemic and now has only two.   

 Bedford Manor isn’t alone. New York City has about 26,000 restaurants that employed 169,000 people through February, but employment has since fallen to only 21,000 in April.  

 Laura Gemelli, 36, lost her job at ilili Restaurant in Flatiron after it halted operations in March. 

 “I am surviving on my unemployment benefit, but how long? The restaurant won’t hire in full capacity when they have no customers,” Gemelli said.   

 Some restaurant advocacy groups like Independent Restaurant Coalition are pushing Congress to sign a new $120 billion relief package to salvage the industry. The National Restaurant Association, a powerful lobbying group, has called for Congress to provide $240 billion in urgent relief directly to restaurants.  

 “The government must give another package,” Daniel said, adding that he is afraid customers won’t return due to fear of the virus. 

Fred Jackson, the manager at Mo’s Fort Greene, bar and lounge in Brooklyn, said he applied for a PPP loan but never received any funds. He hopes that when outdoor dining reopens on Monday, enough customers will return to bring the business back to life.  

 “If they don’t come, we can’t survive for more than three months,” Jackson said.  

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