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September 22, 2010
New Bill Would Create Atlantic Yards Oversight Body
BrooklynSpeaks Press Release via Brooklyn Daily Eagle
BrooklynSpeaks, a coalition of civic associations, advocacy groups and affordable housing organizations concerned about development at the Atlantic Yards site, yesterday announced that more 1,000 New Yorkers have signed a petition calling for legislation mandating public oversight of the project.
Bills introduced into the state assembly by Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (A11431) and into the state Senate by Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (S08193) require the Empire State Development Corporation to create a dedicated subsidiary responsible for governance of the Atlantic Yards’ development, now expected to extend as long as 25 years.
“As the largest development project in Brooklyn’s history, Atlantic Yards must be managed with no less transparency and accountability than other important state and city projects, like Brooklyn Bridge Park,” said Assemblyman Jeffries, who represents most of the Atlantic Yards footprint. “We will not accept a private developer being given sole decision-making power over this project’s future given the significant public investment that has been made.”
...The Atlantic Yards Governance Act has passed the Corporations Committee in the Assembly, and is currently before Ways and Means. The bill is before the state Senate’s Rules Committee.
Related coverage...
Atlantic Yards Report, BrooklynSpeaks: another push for governance bill, as "important first step"
According to a press release from the BrooklynSpeaks coalition (reprinted by the Brooklyn Eagle under the helpfully transparent byline of "Press Release"), more than 1,000 New Yorkers have signed a petition calling for legislation mandating public oversight of the project.
The key line in the statement is "important first step." As I wrote in June, the legislation last year had clear roles for local appointees, while the structure now proposed is vague, likely leaving more centralized power.
And this year the Empire State Development Corporation supports the legislation, though developer Forest City Ratner has not issued any statement.
Posted by eric at September 22, 2010 10:21 AM