Join NAG's Organizing Efforts!

At our organizing meeting last week, we split up into our four issue groups and talked about what the most pressing issues are in each area where we can make a difference. There are a number of efforts moving forward simultaneously, so if you are interested in any of the issues your help can make a difference! This is kind of a long post, but bear with us and read through to find out what we're doing and how you can help.

Each group was tasked with figuring out what the short term and long term priorities are for their issue. The results are as such:

Quality of Life and Community Character

SHORT TERM GOAL: MORE TRASH CANS
The neighborhood has a problem with the appropriate distribution of trash cans. In some cases, trash bags are simply piled up in front of the building, causing sanitation issues, such as rodent problems, trash fires, smell, and aesthetic impacts. The group is going to conduct a survey of the area, create an online map to share the results of the survey and identify priority areas to concentrate on.

LONG TERM GOAL: WILLIAMSBURG/GREENPOINT STORY PROJECT
The neighborhood has been undergoing tremendous changes over the last two decades--as a result, a cultural divide has emerged between old and new residents, low-income and high-income, immigrants and non-immigrants, etc. The story project aims to bridge these divides by using oral histories as a way of educating and fostering constructive civic dialogue among all residents. The goals and scope of the project need to be clarified further before proceeding.

Next Q-of-L/Community Character meeting: Early January (TBD)
To join, contact Gregor Nemitz-Zadie, g.nemitzziadie [at] gmail [dot] com or call the office at 718-384-2248

Transportation

SHORT-TERM GOAL: BIKE/DRIVER/PEDESTRIAN SAFETY EDUCATION CAMPAIGN
The group will educate bikers, pedestrians, and drivers about how to respect each other on the road. This may include encouraging bikers and drivers to respect the rules of the road, advocacy for more/safer bike lanes, and engaging in a dialogue with the local police precincts about ticketing and safety problem areas, etc. The project will begin by creating a network of people who care about road safety in the neighborhood and using that network to distribute outreach material to bikers, drivers, and pedestrians.

LONG-TERM GOAL: FIGHTING TRANSIT CUTS AND EXPANDING LOCAL TRANSIT SERVICE
In the face of massive potential cuts to subway service citywide, our local transit ridership is growing by leaps and bounds, which is putting stress on the system. We will create and/or join a network of transit riders to advocate against transit cuts in our neighborhood. This will involve building a local network of concerned riders, forging alliances with other groups involved in this issue and mobilizing at appropriate times.

Next Transportation meeting: January 8th, 7:30pm, NAG Office (101 Kent Ave @ Nth 8th Street)
To join, contact Lacey Tauber at laceytauber [at] gmail [dot] com or call the office at 718-384-2248

Open Space/Access to the Waterfront

SHORT-TERM GOAL 1: OPEN THE NEW NORTH 5th STREET PIER AND MANHATTAN AVE PARKS
These two parks have been almost completed, but have yet to open because of bureaucratic snafus or a failure by a construction company to comply with safety measures. The group will advocate to open these two spaces as soon as possible.

SHORT-TERM GOAL 2: FACILITATE COORDINATION AMONG PARKS GROUPS
There are many groups working in or around the issue of open space, they do not necessarily share dialogue/plans/activities with each other. In the short term, the group will create a "clearinghouse website" that will link to other group's websites, list events, and include RSS feeds from park group blogs. This will allow for interested people and newcomers to the issue to get involved more easily

LONG-TERM GOAL: CONVERT "MTA SITE" ON COMMERCIAL STREET INTO PARK
Northern Greenpoint is one of the most park-deficient areas of the neighborhood. Because of this, the City promised that the MTA Site on Commercial Street would be converted into a park. However, there have been interminable delays in relocating the MTA facilities and getting approval to convert the site into useable park space.

Next Open Space meeting [UPDATE: early February TBD] Tuesday, Jan 27th at the Green Oaks Club (179 Green Street between Manhattan Ave and McGuiness Blvd)
To join, contact Emily Gallagher at emily.e.gallagher [at] gmail [dot] com or call the office at 718-384-2248

Affordable Housing

GOAL 1: PROTECT LOCAL "SRO" HOUSING
Single Room Occupancy housing (SRO) is historically one of the basic forms of affordable housing, viable for some students, childless singles, seasonal workers, widows/widowers, or others who do not require large dwellings or private amenities. In gentrifying neighborhoods like ours, it has become common practice to evict the SRO tenants, to renovate these buildings, and to make them available at market rate to higher bidders. Long-term tenants in two SROs in the neighborhood have been threatened with eviction by their landlords. The Affordable Housing group will support a campaign to save these low-income dwellings.

GOAL 2: ORGANIZE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY WORKSHOP/FORUM
There is a need to energize and educate the community in regards to tenant’s rights. We will organize a forum that will address the issues most important to this neighborhood, create a dialogue with local officials, give a voice to endangered tenants, and hopefully inspire more people to get involved in the cause.

GOAL 3: ACHIEVE PROTECTION FOR LOFT TENANT
There are numerous tenants in loft apartments in the neighborhood that are in legal limbo, jeopardizing tenants while allowing landlords to take advantage of the lack of tenant's legal status. The affordable housing group will support the South Eleventh Street Tenants Association in their fight to keep their home and join the campaign to expand the Loft Law to more endangered lofts in the Greenpoint-Williamsburg neighborhood.

Next Affordable Housing meeting in January (Date TBD)
To join, contact Wilneida Negron at wilneida [at] gmail [dot] com or call the office at 718-384-2248