NEW YORK—A range of community groups gathered in Brooklyn Heights on Nov. 3 to question the sale of public assets at “fire-sale prices to politically connected real-estate developers” throughout New York City.
The forum, hosted by the Citizens Defending Libraries (CDL) and the Unitarian church-affiliated Weaving the Fabric of Diversity committee, was intentionally timed just before the Nov. 5 elections.
Incoming elected officials will be given a letter of community concerns about the sale of public libraries, public housing, and public schools, organizers said.
“We’re all in this together,” CDL co-founder Carolyn McIntyre said at the start of the forum, which was attended by close to 50 people.
Those who spoke included official and unofficial representatives from NYCHA, public parks and school defenders, community boards, the Save Our Seaport, Brooklyn for Peace, and others.
Kristina Andreotta, a campaign manager for Citizen Action of New York, called for a more official coalition to work toward the common goal of preserving public assets.
“This has been going on for 30 or 40 years,” said Andreotta, who urged the groups present to exercise “strength in numbers.”
A decision about a coalition was not made, but another forum will be held in a couple of months.
Protests
In the immediate future, CDL is planning a protest outside New York Public Library (NYPL) headquarters on the evening of Monday, Nov. 4, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg will be receiving an award. Bloomberg has regularly reduced funding for NYPL during his administration.
A representative for Brooklyn for Peace said his group will protest the loss of Interfaith Medical Center at 8 a.m. on Monday, in front of the courthouse at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn Heights, where the hospital is expected to present its closure plan.
A public rally is also planned at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) headquarters on Nov. 14 at noon against its controversial infill plan to sell public housing land for development as a way to raise money.
