Urgent Update On Proposed 9th Street Men's Shelter In Carroll Gardens

UPDATE:

On Tuesday, October 15th at 7:00 PM, Councilmember Brad Lander will be joining the Coalition for Carroll Gardens in the lobby of 505 Court Street to provide an update on the shelter, answer questions, and direct us on the importance of participating in every possible direct action. Brad Lader has already contacted the DOB and the Department of Investigations for further clarifications.

Coalition For Carroll Gardens just released an update on the proposed 170-bed men's shelter at 165 West 9th Street in Carroll Gardens. Apparently, the City just announced that it will hold a public hearing regarding a 5 year, $30 million dollar contract with the shelter's operator,  Housing Solutions USA/Aguila Inc., a Bronx-based non-profit organization.

Below is the urgent message from Coalition For Carroll Gardens:

Dear Supporter,
Our last update addressed the Audit that DOB had conducted which raised a serious set of concerns about the approval to turn 165 west 9th st into a dormitory style accomodation for 170 men.
We heard nothing all summer, but recently learned that the DOB dismissed all its objections to approve the building permits it had revoked. No elected official was notified, nor have they explained how the various egregious objections were completely dropped.

Brad Lander, Velmanette Montgomery and Joan Millman this week sent a letter demanding more information from the DOB and requesting through the Freedom of Information Act all documents relating to this decision to see how the DOB waived its concerns. As yet, Brad Lander has received no response, nor ackowledgement, from Ira Gluckman, R.A., DOB Borough Commissioner, or John Gallagher R.A., DOB Deputy Borough Commissioner.

Today we learned that the city will hold a public hearing on a proposed contract for a shelter at 165 west 9th st on October 17 from 9-5. The total contract shall be $29,987,257 dollars. The contract shall be from November 1 2013 to June 30 2018. With an option to renew from July 1 2018 to June 30 2022 (as detailed in the City Register).

A draft copy of the proposal will be available for Public Inspection at the DHS, 33 Beaver St, NY 10004 from October 4th 2013 to October 17 2013 from 9-5 Mondays to Fridays.

Comptroller Liu is continuing his audit of Aguila and it will be in his hands to approve this contract.

STAY TUNED: CCG WILL BE COORDINATING A SERIES OF SPECIFIC ACTIONS OVER THE WEEKEND FOR YOU TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK. AGUILA AND LAPES HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING BUT BAD PRESS AND YET THEY STAND TO REAP 30 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT ON A BUILDING THAT WAS BEEN ILLEGALLY CONTRUCTED.

We will need our supporters to give oral or written testimony on the 17th of October at the City Hearings. We also need to support Brad Landers in his request to the DOB to find out how the long list of DOB objections could all be dismissed. And we need to let Liu know our concerns about this contract.

CCG will be sending an update over the next days with detailed suggestions about who to contact and what to say.

LAPES, HESS and AGUILA have been waiting in the wings for this moment. If we don't act now, they will be our neighbor for a long time.

PLEASE CHECK OUR FACEBOOK PAGE and our website ccgbrooklyn.com for further updates. We will be posting the documents pertaining to these recent findings that we have available shortly.

Thank you for everything you have done. We can still make a difference.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. POST IT ON LOCAL LISTSERVES AND KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.

And Thank you! CCGBROOKLYN

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Coalition For Carroll Gardens Updates Community On 9th Street Homeless Shelter

Many readers have been wondering where matters stand regarding the proposed 170 bed men’s homeless shelter at 165 West 9th in Carroll Gardens.

The Coalition for Carroll Gardens (CCG), a coalition of residents who have organized "to ensure that full community input is part of the process in the development" has just released an update in respect of this matter. CCG have retained the services of a lawyer and continues to press our elected officials and all agencies involved for a fair public process that will "create a solution that reflects the needs of all parties involved."

From a CCG press release:

Dear Supporter,

Alan Lapes was granted permits by the Department of Building (DOB) for alterations to convert his ten unit condo building at 165 west 9th street into a homeless shelter. The TRO obtained by CCG in December 2012 forces Lapes to follow the letter of the law - and stopped him from squeezing 170 men in the building when he was ready for action. Once the permit was obtained, CCGBrooklyn’s lawyer and zoning consultant conducted an extensive overview of the building history, plans and permits. We found various discrepancies between the original plans and the various requests and filings made to the DOB. Beginning with a dubious Certificate of Occupancy granted eight years after the building was finished -

DOB allowed Scarano, a notorious architect barred from filing in the City of New York to self-certify his building at 165 West 9th Street.

Among the other problems uncovered by our lawyer and zoning consultant, CCG found:

-Original building plans are missing

-Mislabeled floors that misrepresent actual use

-Misrepresentation of actual floor area deductions allowable for the lot size

-Unclear alterations and plumbing works, large scale works carried out without permits prior to the current permits

-unsafe access and exit as per law

For full details of our findings, click here.

Our lawyers submitted a request to the Borough Commissioner of the DOB to respond and address these concerns at the end of April. This demand was then followed up with letters from the elected officials, Brad Lander, Joan Milman, Villamette Montgomery, Bill De Blasio and Marty Markowitz all reiterating our concerns in early May and acting in support of CCGBrooklyn's position.

Click here for copies of the letters from the elected officials.

Some of you saw us out at the Court Street Fair, where we also gathered hundreds of signatures IN ONE DAY to take to Ira Gluckman, the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner at the DOB in support of the letter. We dropped this petition last week by hand

So why have we heard nothing back from the Commissioner?
Call Commissioner Gluckman today to let him know you want answers and expect accountability from all city agencies.
Ira Gluckman, R.A., Borough Commissioner: tel (718) 802-3677 & (718) 802-3676

The next hearing for the legal case, which once again was adjourned at the request of the city lawyers, will be on the 24th of May.

CCGBRooklyn remains committed to exposing the way the city regulatory agencies are failing at their job and bypassing due process, allowing people like Alan Lapes to continue his outlandish profits at the expense of communities and the Homeless.

Please continue to donate to our legal fund - click here to make your tax deductible donation online - We need your support to change the conversation and have communities talk back. We can't continue this fight without your ongoing donations. Donate today!

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Coalition for Carroll Gardens Is Hosting Community Update Meeting On 9th Street Homeless Shelter This Saturday

The Coalition for Carroll Gardens (CCG) is holding  a community update meeting this Saturday to update the community on what has been going on regarding the proposed homeless shelter at 165 West 9th Street.  Here are the details on the meeting from CCG:

165 West 9th Street Homeless Shelter

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Saturday, April 6th at 11 AM

"We are inviting all Carroll Gardens residents to a meeting in the courtyard of 505 Court Street on Saturday, April 6th at 11AM.
The meeting is intended to provide an informal update about 165 west 9th st and current developments. We know that the surge of activity makes our court case and timely actions even more important then ever. The meeting will be a chance to meet with some of the organizers of CCGBrooklyn and find out more about recent construction activities, as well as to get involved.
We will meet in the courtyard of 505 court st, entrance between West 9th and Huntington.
In the event of rain, we can relocate to the lobby.
We look forward to seeing you there. Please tell your friends and neighbors to come. Children welcome.
Thanks! CCG"


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An Update From Coalition For Carroll Gardens On Proposed Homeless Shelter On West Ninth Street

Here is an update from Coalition For Carroll Gardens (CGC), a group of community residents and business owners who have raised serious questions regarding a planned homeless shelter for 170 men at 165 West 9th Street.   After meetings with Housing Solutions USA/Aguila Inc., the non-profit organization that proposed the shelter, and Department of Homeless Services (DHS) failed to resolve some of the issue, the Coalition collected a total of $20,000 to retain attorney Steven Kirkpatrick as legal council.

On the Coalition's behalf, Kirkpatrick filed Article 78 proceeding against the City.On November 20, Kings County Supreme Justice David Schmidt issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)prohibiting the City and its contractors from “using the Building in violation of applicable laws and requirements.”
On December 7th, Judge Carl Landisino continued the TRO and gave the group until January 25, 2012 to put in additional papers and for the respondents to reply.
In order to continue legal action, CCG is asking for donations from the community to cover costs.

The Coalition's update below addresses what has been accomplished so far and what the next steps are:

WHY SHOULD YOU DONATE? 

The proposal to house 170 men is wildly out of proportion with the original intended use of the building, creating an illegal & unsafe situation for clients & neighbors alike.

Housing Solutions USA & its board members have numerous connections to shelter operators with a history of running substandard, dangerous, & crime-ridden facilities (eg the Aladdin Shelter on West 45th St operated by Housing Solutions USA).

A no bid contract City contract awards tax payer money of $520K a month. “Tunnel Condos”, the listed landlord, has ties to Stuart Podolsky,
a convicted felon, who is also listed as the building’s contact on the DOB filings up to 2010.

165 West 9th st, built by an architect now barred from filing plans in NYC, has been empty since its construction over ten years ago due to code violations & no legal Certificate of Occupancy.

WHO IS THE COALITION FOR CARROLL GARDENS (CCG)?
• CCG is a growing coalition of over 120 families, 700 residents & representatives from their buildings & coop boards and 100 businesses.

WHAT IS CCG DOING TO BLOCK THE PROPOSED HOMELESS SHELTER?

• CCG has retained an attorney, Steven Kirkpatrick, from Belkin, Burden Wenig & Goldman, LLP to represent us in a lawsuit against NYC.

WHERE DOES THE LAWSUIT CURRENTLY STAND?

• On December 7th, the Honorable Carl Landicino granted a continuation of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that requires the respondents to comply with all applicable
laws regarding the opening & operation of the proposed shelter until the next hearing date scheduled for January 25, 2013. The City is currently attempting to have the case dismissed so that they can move forward on the proposed 170 bed men’s shelter.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

• We have limited time to scrutinize & refute the claims of the City. CCG cannot continue to fund the attorney & our case without help from YOU!

DONATE NOW TO STOP CORRUPT NO BID CONTRACTS THAT SIDELINE LOCAL COMMUNITY INPUT!

• All money is directed through the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association & goes directly towards legal costs.

To donate online, go to  www.ccgbrooklyn.com/donate or send checks payable to:
CGNA (Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association)Mail to: RY Management, 505 Court St., Brooklyn, NY 11231

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Coalition For Carroll Gardens Asks For Support "To Stop Corrupt No Bid Contracts" For 170-Bed Homeless Shelter On West 9th Street

The Coalition for Carroll Gardens (CCG), represents the residents, business owners, and neighbors of Carroll Gardens has continued to expressing serious concerns about the lack of public process surrounding the placement of a proposed 170-bed shelter at 165 West 9th Street. Specifically, they have raised questions regarding the suitability of the building, illegal construction, lack of provision of social services, or security. Last, but not least, the Coalition is troubled by the fact that the landlord of the building, Alan Lapes, is tightly connected to Housing Solutions USA/Aguila Inc., the non-profit organization that has put forth the plan for the shelter. Incidentally, Housing Solutions USA/Aguila is headed by Robert Hess, the Bloomberg administration’s former head of the Department of Homeless Services (DHS).

CCG formed shortly after learning of the proposed shelter and has worked tirelessly over the last two months to reach out to elected officials, local businesses and neighbors to demand transparency and an open public pocess. They have also raised funds to hire attorney Steven Kirkpatrick as legal council, On the Coalition's behalf, Kirkpatrick filed Article 78 proceeding against the City.

On November 20, Kings County Supreme Justice David Schmidt issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) prohibiting the City and its contractors from “using the Building in violation of applicable laws and requirements.”

On December 7th, Judge Carl Landisino continued the TRO and gave the group until January 25, 2012 to put in additional papers and for the respondents to reply.

In order to continue legal action, CCG is asking for donations from the community to cover costs.

Below is a press release just issued by the group.

SUPPORT THE COALTION FOR CARROLL GARDENS DONATE NOW!

WHY SHOULD YOU DONATE?
• The proposal to house 170 men is wildly out of proportion with the original intended use of the building, creating an illegal and unsafe situation for clients and neighbors alike.
• The landlord with a criminal record received a no-bid city contract for the shelter, generating over $520K a month. (Corruption Link)• Housing Solutions USA’s board members have numerous connections to shelter operators and landlords with a history of running substandard, dangerous, and crime-ridden facilities (eg the Alladin Homeless Shelter on West 45th St). (Corruption Link)• 165 West 9th st, built by an architect now barred from practicing in NY State, has been empty since its construction over ten years ago due to code violations and no legal Certificate of Occupancy. (Corruption Link)

WHO IS THE COALITION FOR CARROLL GARDENS (CCG)?
• CCG is a growing coalition of over 120 families, 700 residents and representatives from their buildings and coop boards and 100 businesses . 

WHAT IS CCG DOING TO BLOCK THE PROPOSED HOMELESS SHELTER?
• CCG has retained an attorney, Steven Kirkpatrick, from Belkin, Burden Wenig & Goldman, LLP to represent us in a lawsuit against the City of New York. 

WHERE DOES THE LAWSUIT CURRENTLY STAND?
• On December 7th, the Honorable Carl Landisino granted a continuation of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that requires the respondants to comply with all applicable laws regarding the opening and operation of the proposed shelter until the next hearing date scheduled for January 25, 2013. The City is currently attempting to have the case dismissed so that they can move forward on the proposed 170 bed men’s shelter. 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
• The six-week adjournment without occupancy gives us an ample opportunity to scrutinize and refute the claims of the City. HOWEVER, CCG cannot continue to fund the attorney and our case without help from YOU! 

DONATE NOW TO STOP CORRUPT NO BID CONTRACTS THAT SIDELINE LOCAL COMMUNITY INPUT!
• All money is directed through the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association and goes directly towards legal costs.
We’ve raised approximated $20,000 from households and businesses throughout the neighborhood. We need $30,000 more to be sure we can continue this case! 

DONATE BY PAYPAL:
http://www.ccgbrooklyn.com/donate/
DONATE BY MAIL:
Please send checks payable to:
CGNA (Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association)
Mail to:
RY Management
505 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

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