NEWS FROM NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

Brad Lander
39TH DISTRICT, BROOKLYN

WINTER 2016

BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS TO ADRESS OVERCROWDING

Our growing neighborhoods
face the challenge of overcrowded schools. To make sure
all our kids have seats in good
schools, we have kept up the
pressure to build new schools
throughout the district. Two
years ago, the NYC School
Construction Authority opened
P.S. 133 and P.S. 118 in Park
Slope, creating over 1,000 new
seats and easing crowding at
PS 321 and PS 107.
NEW SCHOOL OPENS ITS
DOORS IN KENSINGTON
Welcome to the newest
members of our District 15
community: In September, a
beautiful new school building
opened its doors at 713 Caton
Avenue in Kensington. The
building houses the P.S. 130
Upper School, the new Middle
School 839, and a District 75
program. The split-sited P.S.
130 will preserve diversity while
addressing overcrowding, and
M.S. 839 has rapidly become
The gymnasium and exterior at
one of the more sought-after
the new school on Caton Avenue.
D15 middle schools. To make
the school safer, our community worked with the Department of
Transportation on significant pedestrian safety improvements
throughout the area, including a road diet for Caton Avenue, new
pedestrian islands to make crossing safer, and other changes to
traffic patterns, signage, and signals.
ADDRESSING OVERCROWDING IN CARROLL GARDENS,
COBBLE HILL, AND GOWANUS
P.S. 58 in Carroll Gardens is facing severe overcrowding, and the
problem will get worse with new development. But some help
is on the way. At my request, the SCA studied the property at

nearby P.S. 32 a diverse

school with a strong and
growing reputation and is
now moving forward to build
a 436-seat addition on the
site in place of the trailers
("temporary classroom units").
We are trying to make sure
a new school is included if
development takes place at the
Long Island College Hospital
site. And our Bridging
Gowanus plan is committed
to making sure new school
seats are built there if new
development is allowed.
NEW PRE-K PROGRAM
COMING TO 9TH STREET
In November, the SCA
announced plans to build a
brand new Pre-K center near
the border of Park Slope
and Gowanus. The proposed
school, which will seat
approximately 180 four-yearolds, is planned for the vacant
lot next to the American
Legion post on 9th Street
and Third Avenue. The SCA
has committed to excavate
carefully, on the long-shot
chance there are artifacts or
remains from the Maryland
400, a heroic battalion from
the Revolutionary War.
SUPPORTING EFFORTS IN SUNSET PARK
Schools in neighboring Sunset Park are even more overcrowded
than ours. The SCA has set aside funding for over 1,000 seats there,
and I support the hard work by Council Member Carlos Menchaca,
the District 15 CEC, and parent leaders to find locations to build.

MAKING OUR SCHOOLS EVEN STRONGER

Nothing is more important to our
democracy than strong public
schools that offer all kids a genuine
opportunity to learn, grow, create,
solve problems, and become engaged
citizens of our city. Were lucky to
have many great schools across our
neighborhoods, and were taking
some strong steps forward to make
them even better:
CONFRONTING SEGREGATION &
IMPROVING DIVERSITY
New York Citys diversity is one of its greatest
strengths but we are failing woefully to
bring it into our schools. Sixty years after
the Supreme Court ruled that separate but
equal is inherently unequal, our schools are
among the most segregated in the country.
Thats why I led efforts to pass the School
Diversity Accountability Act, which requires
the DOE to set out plans for achieving more
diverse schools, and to track our progress.
The first annual report was issued in
December. We have a long way to go, but
were starting to see some steps forward.
This fall, the DOE built on the model
pioneered in 2012 at PS 133 by allowing
seven schools (including the Brooklyn New
School and the Brooklyn Childrens School)
to set admissions priorities for diversity. In
Kensington, the new P.S. 130 Upper School
opened this fall as a split-school to
preserve its best-in-district diversity.
The next step: district-wide diversity planning
for admissions processes that already
involve student choice, like the middle-school
application processes for Districts 13 and 15.
With good planning and smart steps, New York
City could double the number of students in
integrated schools over the next decade. More
at BradLander.nyc/schooldiversity.
PRE-K FOR ALL
This fall was a historic moment for New York
Citys kids: for the first time, every four-year-old
had the chance to enter a full-day, high-quality
public pre-K program. The program at Bishop
Ford (a.k.a. K280, operated by P.S. 10), with
over 400 four-year-olds, has become one of my

Council Member Brad Lander speaking

with students outside of City Hall.

favorite places in the community. Theyve even

got a science lab! Research shows that access
to pre-K makes a difference for kids throughout
their education, and child care is fundamental
for working families. Thanks to the hard work of
the de Blasio administration, New York City has
ensured that students of all backgrounds can
afford the strong start they need to begin their
educational paths.
MORE TEACHING, LESS TESTING
Thanks largely to strong advocacy (including
the opt out movement, centered in our district
in recent years), elected officials including
President Obama and Governor Cuomo have
realized what weve long known: high-stakes
testing has gone way too far, narrowing what our
kids learn, taking time away from teaching, and
stressing our kids and teachers.
New York State is finally looking at revising its
approach to testing. If youd like to connect
with others in our district that are involved
in the effort, or learn more about opt out
efforts, contact Vicki Sell in my office.
In another encouraging development, under
Chancellor Faria, the NYC Department of
Education (DOE) has developed a framework for
evaluating our schools that is not overly focused
on testing, and doesnt reduce schools to a
single grade but instead considers the range
of elements that make up a great school. Check

out your schools new School Quality Report

at BradLander.nyc/SchoolQualityReports
and let me know what you think.
GROWING PARENT INVOLVEMENT
AT ALL SCHOOLS
Parent involvement is key to school success. Im
pleased to see the strong commitment (and new
leadership) that Chancellor Faria has provided
to DOEs Division of Family & Community
Engagement. I encourage parent leaders to
check out PTALink.org, a fantastic resource
to support schools (that my office was proud
to help get off the ground). This spring we also
hosted our most successful Brooklyn PTA 5K to
date, raising $20,000 (up from $13,000 the year
before) for PTAs across Brooklyn. Registration
opens soon for 2016: http://brooklynpta.org
MORE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS
All our kids need a safe walk to school, but the
City doesnt have enough crossing guards to
cover all the dangerous intersections. Thats why
I pushed for an additional $1 million in this years
budget to employ 80 more crossing guards. We
have added guards at key intersections around
the district. Working with the Councils Public
Safety Chair Vanessa Gibson, I am leading the
fight to increase the number of guards, make
sure they are located in the right places, and
improve pay and job quality so we can improve
retention and reduce vacancies.

FIGHTING

FOR A FAIR ECONOMY

At City Hall and in our district, Im fighting for
policies that make sure every New Yorker has a fair
chance at a good job, is treated well, and is paid
fairly, on-time, and in full for the work they do:
NYC ENDS DISCRIMINATORY EMPLOYMENT
CREDIT CHECKS
Earlier this year the City Council took a big step toward
helping New Yorkers down on their luck to get back on their feet, by
passing my bill to prohibit employers from using credit checks during
the hiring process. Studies show clearly that poor credit does not
predict job performance or fraud.
Our new law the strongest of its type in the country, with great
outreach and enforcement from the NYC Commission on Human
Rights means student loans, medical debt, or a bad credit
score wont keep you from getting a job. More info: BradLander.
nyc/credit
VICTORY FOR THE CARWASHEROS
Thanks to everyone who stood with workers at the Vegas Car Wash
in Park Slope when they went on strike last winter demanding fair
treatment, the right to form a union, and thousands of dollars in
stolen wages. The carwasheros, thanks to their courage and our
support, won a contract that includes better wages, paid time off,
sharing of hours and overtime, and protections for immigrant workers.
Across the city, carwash workers gained stronger protections too,
thanks to the City Councils Car Wash Accountability Act. Im proud
to have helped lead this effort (including getting arrested as part of
civil disobedience on their behalf) but Im even prouder to represent
workers with the courage to stand up, and a community willing to
support them.

On the 7th night of Hanukkah, I joined Jews, Muslims, and Christians

to light a menorah at Brooklyn Borough Hall and make clear that we
support religious freedom, welcome refugees, and stand together against
Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and bigotry.

In December,
I introduced
the Freelance
Isnt Free Act
to protect
independent
workers from
getting stiffed.

FIGHT FOR $15

For the past three years, weve stood many-an-early-morning with
fast-food workers all over Brooklyn. In the beginning, some were
fired, and we worked together to make sure they got their jobs back.
Thanks to their courage and persistence, the New York State Labor
Commissioner issued an order that will raise fast-food workers wages
to $15 over the next several years. And we are doing the same for all
New York City employees and contractors like crossing guards, day
care, and home care workers.
NEW WORKER PROTECTIONS FOR A NEW ECONOMY:
FREELANCE ISNT FREE
More and more workers here in Brooklyn (and far beyond) are being paid
by the gig freelance graphic designers, writers, and film producers,
Uber drivers, Handy.com cleaners, day laborers, and many more. In plenty
of cases, gig work makes sense and can be convenient for customers
and workers. But theres also a very real dark side since these workers
lack the protections, benefits, and security of traditional W2 workers.
One critical example: 70 percent of freelance workers report having been
cheated out of the wages and fees they are owed. Thats why Ive teamed
up with Freelancers Union to introduce the Freelance Isnt Free Act. The
bill would make sure freelancers get paid on time and in full for the work
theyve done, and can get real enforcement if they dont. Join our efforts:
BradLander.nyc/freelanceisntfree

For the first time, world leaders gathered in Paris adopted a global pact
to limit carbon emissions. Now we must keep pushing to combat climate
change. We are building on last summers Climate Change Town Hall to
build momentum for fossil fuel divestment, mandatory building retrofits,
clean power, and of course getting rid of plastic bags.

BOROUGH PARK BUILDING EXPLOSION

On Saturday, October 3rd,
a terrifying explosion and fire
ripped through 4206 13th
Avenue in Borough Park, caused
by a horrific arson/suicide.

OEM, HPD, DOB and CERT members for

your incredible work. Many neighbors
and organizations in Borough Park
(including Hatzoloh, Masbia, Boro Park
JCC, and Community Board 12) also
showed great generosity.

Two people lost their lives, three

pedestrians and more than a
dozen firefighters were injured,
four long-standing neighborhood businesses were forced to relocate,
and more than 50 people were displaced from their homes.

My office helped coordinate the response

and worked together with the community.
Together, we established the Borough Park Relief Fund, supported victims,
worked with business owners, and helped families find new homes.

In the face of this awful tragedy, our community responded. Our

first-responders showed courage, urgency, professionalism, and
compassion, far beyond the call of duty. Thank you to the FDNY, NYPD,

This tragic event reminded me that I am grateful to live in a city with

such excellent first responders, and to represent a community where
people step up with courage and compassion in times of crisis.

NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL 250 BROADWAY 30TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10007

News WINTER 2016

From New York City Council Member

Brad Lander

PRESORTED
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U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

NEW YORK CITY

COUNCIL

39th District, Brooklyn

456 5th Avenue, 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (718) 499-1090
Fax: (718) 499-1997
lander@council.nyc.gov
www.BradLander.com

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Standing up for seniors: Heights & Hills has launched the Park
Slope Center for Successful Aging at 7th Avenue & 7th Street, and is
making it a real center of neighborhood life. Good Neighbors of Park
Slope have created a great volunteer and advocacy organization.
Meanwhile, we continue to fight for the remaining seniors at Prospect
Park Residence. BradLander.nyc/age-friendly.
Bridging Gowanus: Were moving forward to realize the Bridging
Gowanus community planning framework that several hundred of
you helped develop with new park investments, public art, and
advocacy for the diverse, resilient, mixed-use neighborhood we want.
BradLander.nyc/Gowanus
CitiBike is coming to Community Board 6 (Cobble Hill, Columbia
Waterfront, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Park Slope, and Red Hook).
Check out the map of proposed stations and let us know if you have
any feedback, so we can give it to the DOT. BradLander.nyc/CitiBike

New family shelter in Kensington: To address the continued crisis

of homelessness, New York City is opening a 64-room shelter for
families with kids on McDonald Avenue in Kensington. We are working
with CAMBA (the not-for-profit operator) and city agencies to address
resident concerns and make sure it operates smoothly. Many
neighbors have mobilized to welcome our new neighbors to the
community. BradLander.nyc/KensingtonShelter
Organics recycling: After a successful pilot in Windsor Terrace and
Park Slope, the residential composting program has expanded to the
North Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, and
Cobble Hill. Organics are 30 percent of our waste stream, and they
cost the city $100 million to dispose each year. Please give it a try.
Get your questions answered at nyc.gov/organics