The Broadway Triangle Debacle, Downtown

On Thursday morning, a small crowd of protesters gathered outside the district office of councilmember David Yassky, who is running for New York City Comprtoller, armed with signs, pamphlets, fliers, megaphones and a serious bone to pick about the Broadway Triangle rezoning.

The rezoning of the Broadway Triangle, a highly controversial 31-block piece of land located at the intersection of Bushwick, Bed-Stuy and Williamsburg has elicited strong responses from community members and elected officials both in support and in opposition of the plan. Earlier this year, HPD presented the plan for the rezoning, which aims to transform the largely industrial parcel into a residential zone fit for developing affordable housing. The plan itself, as well as the process through which the plan was devised, has been met with criticism and protest, mostly from a community coalition calling itself Churches United for Fair Housing, also responsible for Thursday’s protest. Since the Broadway Triangle falls within the borders of the 33rd councilmatic district, governed by Yassky, Executive Director of CUFFH Rob Solano requested a meeting with him before the forthcoming city council vote on the plan. According to Solano, his request was denied; Instead, Yassky was willing to participate in a one-on-one phone call with Solano, who would effectively serve as the group’s spokesperson.

Though Thursday’s crowd was small—approximately twelve protesters were present—they certainly made their presence, and message known.

“Don’t trust Yassky!” shouted CB1 member Estaban Duran, calling for a response. “He didn’t fight for us, he won’t fight for you! He didn’t meet with us, he won’t meet with you!”

In the final days before the runoff election, during which Yassky will face off with Councilmember John Liu to become the next New York City comptroller, the group of protesters not only aimed to voice their dissatisfaction with Yassky as a councilmember, but also publicize their misgivings at the notion of him moving on to hold city-wide office.

“Yassky wants to say he’s a reformer,” said Solano, “But being a reformer means meeting with your community. What sparked this protest is when he started to go negative on his opponent, John Liu. We are trying to level the playing field and let people know that there are still unresolved issues with Yassky as a councilmember that should be addressed. He won’t listen to the community in the city council, why should we trust him in city-wide office?”

Danny Kanner, Yassky’s communications director, insists that these allegations are false, however, and attests that he has done everything in his power to listen and respond to the community in question.

“Those allegations are unfortunate because they are fundamentally untrue. There was a conference call offered, and it was not accepted,” Kanner said. “David respects the right of the demonstrators to express their disapproval. With that said, he supports the rezoning. It will provide hundreds of units of affordable housing that this community desperately needs.”

The Broadway Triangle rezoning plans are currently being reviewed by the City Planning Commission, after which it will go before the city council for a final vote.