Community Groups Sue City over Broadway Triangle
Opponents of the controversial plan to develop the 31-acre area of East Williamsburg called the Broadway Triangle sued the city yesterday in Supreme Court, charging racial and religious discrimination as well as failure to comply with due process. The coalition of 40 North Brooklyn community groups alleges that the plan for 1,895 new units of…
Opponents of the controversial plan to develop the 31-acre area of East Williamsburg called the Broadway Triangle sued the city yesterday in Supreme Court, charging racial and religious discrimination as well as failure to comply with due process. The coalition of 40 North Brooklyn community groups alleges that the plan for 1,895 new units of housing favor the Hasidic community by including a disproportionate number of three- and four-bedroom apartments to house larger Jewish families and by capping building height at eight stories, since Jews can’t take the elevator on the Sabbath. The suit points out that nearly half of the public housing in the area is currently occupied by Hasidic Jews, despite federal court orders requiring the end of discriminatory practices and despite the fact that the waiting list for such housing has remained at over 90 percent Latino and African American for more than 30 years. It also claims that the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg received exclusive development rights in a no-bid process through their connections to Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D-Williamsburg), and that the city failed to submit its plans for review by Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Community Board 3, as required by land use regulations. Addressing some of these claims back in July, Councilman David Yassky (D-Williamsburg) said, “I want more housing, but I don’t want skyscrapers in the middle of Brooklyn … I can’t imagine that there are real grounds for a lawsuit.” GMAP
Racial and Religious Discrimination Alleged in Triangle [NY Daily News]
City Sued over Triangle Rezoning [Brooklyn Paper]
Triangle Debate Goes On over Eminent Domain [Brownstoner]
The Voice Calls Out Lopez [Brownstoner]
Markowitz Endorses Lopez’s Triangle Plan [Brownstoner]
I don’t get the elevator issue — don’t most high-rises with even a modest number of observant Jews have a Shabbas elevator that runs continuously and stops on every floor? Or am I missing something here?
ditto did you read the suit that is what the suit says.
Ah, I actually see your point there.
BBB – by saying it is “for” hasidics, i.e. set aside for one group, that is discrimination. Do you mean half of the housing there is occupied by Hasidim?
according to there own arguments since half the public housing in the area is for Hasidics no more should be provided. Based on that premise since I am sure that half the public housing in NYC is used by Blacks and Latinos no more should be provided or it is racial discrimination
Posted by: bitter_bubble_buyer at September 10, 2009 10:49 AM:
“being that this is a hasidic area why should it be any surprise that half the public housing in the area is for hasidics?”
Isn’t this called racial discrimination?
IJ- I don’t know that there is any official policy- in fact that would be unconstitutional, but I have no doubt they can make it very difficult. I’m Jewish and I hate this kind of behavior. And I’m sure many will use this thread as an opportunity to bash Jews, Blacks and Hispanics. In fact, they already started.
“Black and Latino groups are living in a glass house. Who are they kidding? They are the rascist”
Uh what?
williamsburgguy- Perhaps you’d like to do a little research on religious beliefs before you post in ignorance. Bitter bubble- meet willamsburgguy- I’m sure you’ll both be very happy together.