Doing something about the crime

Please don't shoot me when I suggest this, but it's just a thought. I've lived in the area for 6 years, but I've been affiliated with it since the 80's for several other personal reasons. I'm at the point of moving to one of the new condos down in the northern area of Washington avenue (pacific, st. marks, washington avenue, etc.). I don't want to fan the flames of gentrification...this really isn't my intent, but I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on maybe trying to get some of the developers of these new buildings and/or the new Boards of these buildings to maybe nominate someone (like a member at large) to meet with the city and/or the police on the crime situation. For developers of unsold condos, they obviously can't afford to have the crime negatively impact sales and for the new buildings, people clearly don't want to have a negative impact on their investment.

Please don't see this as a "new owners" versus "longtime renters" debate...it really isn't my intent and I know how sensitive of a topic it can be. Personally, I've always believed that anyone who was a part of a community, no matter how they came to that community, should feel some sort of vested interest in it. I'm trying to think of a way of bringing developers, who may not see a need to do anything more than bring the bricks and mortar, feel some interest.

Do you really think developers care? If you don't move in, someone else will. Simply put. What do you suggest? We are all open to new ides.

I nominate you!

....ummm..isn't that called a block association?

i suggest the longstanding brooklynian strategy of irrational panic and racial stereotyping. who's in?

How about you just load them all up into a van and take them down to the next precinct community council meeting? That would seem like the best place to get the ball rolling. :shock:

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

NYnicegy wrote: I don't want to fan the flames of gentrification...this really isn't my intent...

Does anyone ever intentionally gentrify an area?

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

NYnicegy wrote: I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on maybe trying to get some of the developers of these new buildings and/or the new Boards of these buildings to maybe nominate someone (like a member at large) to meet with the city and/or the police on the crime situation. For developers of unsold condos, they obviously can't afford to have the crime negatively impact sales and for the new buildings, people clearly don't want to have a negative impact on their investment.

There are a couple groups that could deal with this. First of all, we do have Community Board, and this is one of the things they should do. See http://www.brooklyncb8.org/

We also have lovely people called elected officials, and they are supposed to represent our interests. Go to Tish James' website at
http://council.nyc.gov/d35/html/members/home.shtml

There are also people like the District Leaders, and our state assembly and senate representatives.

And, as someone else suggested, there are block associations. Do you have the contact info for yours? What street do you live on?

The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council (http://phndc.org/) and Patti Hagan's Prospect Heights Action Coalition also are dedicated to issues surrounding the whole neighborhood as well.

Ultimately, if you are concerned about something, I hope you can take the lead on it!

Does anyone ever intentionally gentrify an area?

I gentrify the shit out of stuff all the time. Just for the fun of it.

BigGuy wrote:

Does anyone ever intentionally gentrify an area?

I gentrify the shit out of stuff all the time. Just for the fun of it.

Kids today, I tell you what.

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

sterling2000 wrote: [quote=NYnicegy]I don't want to fan the flames of gentrification...this really isn't my intent...

Does anyone ever intentionally gentrify an area?

Of course not. They simply move in, shun the local businesses, demand new ones that cater to their needs and no one else's, look at the locals as zoo animals, and then complain about it all. I wouldn't classify anything in that process as "intentional," they simply can't help it.

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

Restless Native wrote: [quote=sterling2000][quote=NYnicegy]I don't want to fan the flames of gentrification...this really isn't my intent...

Does anyone ever intentionally gentrify an area?

Of course not. They simply move in, shun the local businesses, demand new ones that cater to their needs and no one else's, look at the locals as zoo animals, and then complain about it all. I wouldn't classify anything in that process as "intentional," they simply can't help it.

are you implying that you dont want new people to move in? How does one shun local business? You should get together with the other "locals" figure out a way to combat this pestulence of gentrifiers. When I go back to my home town...NOTHING is the same. That is they way things go. stop playing the martyr.

restless, that comment on "gentrifiers" is absolutely absurd. especially the part about the new businesses catering to no one but new residents. that just makes no sense.

One more elected official to contact: State Senator Eric Adams. He's a former cop and was (is?) active in 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, and his district starts east of Vanderbilt. He just got elected for the first time last year.

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

raisedeyebrow wrote:
are you implying that you dont want new people to move in? How does one shun local business? You should get together with the other "locals" figure out a way to combat this pestulence of gentrifiers. When I go back to my home town...NOTHING is the same. That is they way things go. stop playing the martyr.

I find that a bit hard to believe, unless you come from a very limited number of places in this country.

The only way I explain it to someone is to tell them to imagine it like this.. imagine leaving your hometown for several years, only to come back and find that all of the people there now are Russian. The families that were there when you and your father, and in many cases grandfather were kids, have been replaced by Benz-driving, Gucci-sunglass-wearing Russians, looking at you like you're out of place!

Every business, many that were there for half a decade, has been replaced by something with a Russian awning. It has become a ghost town compared to how you knew it before. Replace the Russians w/ yups in that example, and you will understand a bit of how I feel.

Are you telling me you can relate to this scenario?

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

Restless Native wrote:
I find that a bit hard to believe, unless you come from a very limited number of places in this country.

The only way I explain it to someone is to tell them to imagine it like this.. imagine leaving your hometown for several years, only to come back and find that all of the people there now are Russian. The families that were there when you and your father, and in many cases grandfather were kids, have been replaced by Benz-driving, Gucci-sunglass-wearing Russians, looking at you like you're out of place!

Every business, many that were there for half a decade, has been replaced by something with a Russian awning. It has become a ghost town compared to how you knew it before. Replace the Russians w/ yups in that example, and you will understand a bit of how I feel.

Are you telling me you can relate to this scenario?

in soviet brooklyn, neighborhood gentrifies you!

I'm going to pointedly ignore the usual back-and-forth about gentrification.

Back about 30 years ago, there used to be a big problem of drug deals around Carlton & Prospect & Flatbush. It was the edge of the police precinct, and drug dealers would do their thing, and when the police came, they just ran across Flatbush- at that time, the precincts were on different radio frequencies, so the dealers got off scott-free. It's like the proverbial cops and robbers movie where all you have to do is get across to the Mexican border.

In any case, a bunch of neighborhood folks wrote letters to all the elected officials, and CC'd all the other elected officials. They didn't really expect to get a response, so the neighborhood folks were shocked at the immediate and forceful response.

People on the Brooklynian are not the first to notice crime. But we do have a forum that could be useful to actually get something done.

Here's a modest proposal: Why doesn't someone draft a letter to our electeds, and we can edit it as a group? I will volunteer to hand deliver whatever we come up with, though we can also mail it individually.

Subject: Re: Doing something about the crime

rtraindweller wrote: in soviet brooklyn, neighborhood gentrifies you!

WIN!!!!!11!!!1

raulism wrote: here's a modest proposal: Why doesn't someone draft a letter to our electeds, and we can edit it as a group? I will volunteer to hand deliver whatever we come up with, though we can also mail it individually.

a letter writing campaign already exists and has already received press:
http://chcoalition.googlepages.com/crownheightswrites

135 have been sent to date but we are looking for 1000's
Please pm/email us if you want to help organize this on a larger scale.

restless, are you Lou Dobbs?

I understand, you feel like something has been taken away from you. It stinks.

I'm at the point of moving to one of the new condos down in the northern area of Washington avenue (pacific, st. marks, washington avenue, etc.).

It's all good dude. Been here for about 7 years now, and I wish I could afford to buy one of the new condos going up around here. Congratulations!.

This will probably help...
http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39857