First, the city plans to close the homeless men’s intake center in Manhattan (to build a luxury hotel) and make the quiet Brownstone neighborhood of Crown Heights the center of gravity for the city’s entire population of homeless men across the five boroughs. Next the city begins busing homeless men from the city, to Bed- Stuy, only to set them adrift the next morning with a Metrocard and a pat on the back. Then the city converts what was supposed to be luxury condos in Crown Heights into a homeless shelter, much to the shigrin of local families. A couple of weeks later it is learned that a building, slated to be a condominum and dormitory complex in Bed-Stuy, will befall a similar fate.

Courtesy of Nostrand Park: Residential Street in Bed-Stuy (Marcy Avenue)

It seems that the Central Brooklyn neighborhoods of Crown Heights and Bedford Stuyvesant are the city’s hot “go to spots” for social service programs. With Bed-Stuy housing more than twice the number of social service beds compared to the median in Brooklyn, and Crown Heights housing 6 times the number of social service beds compared to the median in Brooklyn, a clear and definite pattern is emerging. Operation Central Brooklyn is in full swing.

Ironically, servicing the homeless appears to be an afterthought in Operation Central Brooklyn. As we pointed out before, housing is a necessary, yet insufficient way to address the needs of the homeless in the city. Even with respect to the intake center, the Coalition for the Homeless is against the plan. They argue, among other things, that the plan would require homeless men (60% of whom are located in Manhattan) to travel to Central Brooklyn to a facility that has one of the worst reputations (for drugs and violence) and offers some of the poorest services in the city.

Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights only recently began shedding the stigma of violence and drugs from the 70s – 90s. We only recently started our assent among the ranks of the city’s “up-and-coming” neighborhoods. So what is the reason that these two neighborhoods are being targeted for these programs? The conspiracy theorists among us might argue that our mayor is intentionally eroding our newfound renaissance.

Courtesy of Nostrand Park: Residential Street in Crown Heights (New York Avenue)

Case in point – Bed-Stuy recently inaugurated the Fulton Nostrand BID – along Fulton from Bedford to Marcus Garvey and Nostrand from Atlantic to Halsey. The BID levies from business owners within the district approximately $1200 per year, in exchange for the promise of higher commercial vitality and revitalization. Mayor Bloomberg and other elected officials were lauded for their role in bringing about the BID. From the vision statement on the BID:

“We declare that the Bedford-Stuyvesant Gateway Business District is the business and cultural destination of choice for all residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill, northern Crown Heights, Ocean Hill and Brownsville.  Through the services of the BID, we are committed to a safe, clean and aesthetically attractive commercial and cultural destination and fostering thriving and profitable businesses…”

But the praise is almost laughable when viewed in light of Operation Central Brooklyn.  Members of the NP staff recently began speaking with businesses within the BID about the plans for the intake center; many, still reveling in visions of commercial revitalization, were completely unaware of the city’s plan for the intake center.  One owner of a hair salon on Fulton, who actually does programming for the homeless (including free hair and makeup sessions for homeless women) has stopped her programming for homeless men because she found that they would loiter around well after the program ended and, as she said, “doo doo” on the premises.  

If the Mayor moves forward with his plans for the intake center, this may be the story of many other business owners in the community.  The hopes of commercial revitalization that the business owners of Central Brooklyn are underwriting, will be sabotaged.  

Per the conspiracy theorist: The Mayor Giveth.  The Mayor taketh away…

The social optimists among us might retort that this is a mere oversight (admittedly up to six times over) on the part of the city. We’d hope that Mayor Bloomberg and his administration just do not realize that they have abrogated the policy of “fair share” codified in the city’s charter. Particularly with the imminence of election season, the optimists would point out that a policy of this nature would be political suicide should the masses of Afro- and Caribbean-American citizens catch on. Once politicians truly realize the impact of these decisions they will fight to equalize the number of social service beds across the city. And they will strive to effectuate a plan that adequately addresses the needs of the homeless.

There is indeed a glimmer of hope. Recently, Community Board 8 recently said “No” to the expansion of the Peter Young drug rehabilitation facility. But at the end of the day (or year, or whenever this plan is set to become effective) will their veto be enough to overcome “Operation Central Brooklyn”?

This is it. The tale of two neighborhoods. Chapter 1.

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