Organized Opposition to House of D Plan Grows
Dozens of Boerum Hill stores and lampposts have started sporting “Stop the Jail” posters, markers of a new group’s efforts to protest the city’s plan to reopen and expand the House of Detention on Smith and Atlantic. The group, Stop BHOD, has launched a website saying it’s comprised of residents from the Brooklyn Heights, Boerum…
Dozens of Boerum Hill stores and lampposts have started sporting “Stop the Jail” posters, markers of a new group’s efforts to protest the city’s plan to reopen and expand the House of Detention on Smith and Atlantic. The group, Stop BHOD, has launched a website saying it’s comprised of residents from the Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods. Stop BHOD’s mission is twofold, according to the site: “Stop BHOD strongly opposes the reopening and expansion of the BHOD. We have made it our mission to stop the misguided plan to place a large prison in a thriving neighborhood with a large community of young children. We have also made it our mission to expose the inaccuracies of the Department of Corrections, a city agency more concerned with control over the site than with economics and the best interests of the community and city as a whole.” Among other things, the group says Corrections is planning a jail with cells that don’t “meet minimum federal or state standards of habitability. Some cells are 40 square feet, half the 80 sqaure foot size recommended by the American Correctional Association.” In March, an entity called the Brooklyn HOD Community Stakeholders Group launched that also opposes the jail expansion.
Stop BHOD [Official Site]
Brooklyn HOD Community Stakeholders Group [Official Site]
‘Stop the Jail’ Movement Begins on Atlantic Ave. [Brooklyn Eagle]
Locals Put Heat On City For Ignoring House of D Plan [Brownstoner]
City Looks to Supersize the House of D [Brownstoner]
johnife, that was entertaining. No doubt that would be a thrill for any red-blooded 11-year old boy. Plus, what an effective disciplinary technique for parents; the opportunity for an impromptu scared straight encounter. Sure as hell beats another time out!
I saw people distributing the flyers on Saturday. I was confused, because these girls seemed barely out of high school. These can’t be the condo-buyers, can they?
Anyway, the girls didn’t explain to the shopowner at a new-ish card/candle/other-crap store what the flyer was about. They asked if they could put a poster in the window about “improving the neighborhood” and the guy at the register said “sure” without looking at it. As I left the store and looked at the flyer, I was pretty surprised. I wouldn’t have guessed they were part of the anti-HOD group.
“We have made it our mission to stop the misguided plan to place a large prison in a thriving neighborhood with a large community of young children.”
Agreed, unless DOC agrees to lock the doors. (taking 11:49’s correct comments into account.)
Everyone who’s so supportive of the HOD should be required to do a meet and greet on visitors day whan the facility re-opens. I lived on State St. (between Hoyt + Bond) in the early 1980s and remember some pretty interesting characters coming around. Always enjoyed it when people at street level would have conversations with their loved ones by yelling up to them from the street. I got mugged once on State at Hoyt and my sister was mugged at the same corner. All within a year. Don’t know if it had anything to do the jail, but I for one aren’t buying the argument that having correction officers around made things safe.
“I’m not stupid enough to walk on the unpleasant block behind the jail, on State Street, where one might indeed encounter shackled prisoners”
I don’t remember the situation actually arising, but I’m certain that if my son, when he was 11 years old or so, had been aware of the opportunity to see shackled criminals in the flesh he would have begged me to take him down that block to “see the bad guys” and there’s no way I would have denied him that vicarious thrill.
Right, Montrose. I’m the Boerum Hill resident who posted above. I have two children. I’m not concerned about their safety, because I’m not stupid enough to walk on the unpleasant block behind the jail, on State Street, where one might indeed encounter shackled prisoners. They are hardly paraded on Atlantic Avenue.
A NIMBY argument is one that wants a necessary public service to be in someone else’s backyard. That pretty much defines the anti-HOD crowd (nice graphics aside). And, 11:35, a jail has to be in someone’s back yard because, you know, we have to have jails. Putting one where there already is one just makes sense.
Yeeeaaayyyy! MM is back! where ya been?
I agree with bxgrl. Long time residents of the area dealt with the HOD and accompanying law offices, bondsmen, etc with little or no effect on the growth of area. If every neighborhood has to take a share of social service, or in this case justice system, facilities, then this is this area’s contribution to civic duty.
I also find the claim of a of danger to people’s kids disengenuous, and smacking of Willy Horton style alarmism. With all of the police officers, corrections officers, court officers in the area, this is probably the safest place to be in Brooklyn. Children are in more danger of reckless drivers barreling down Court Street than shackled prisoners. Please.
Brooklynnative- indeed it is cool looking.