View this email in your browser ([link removed])
[link removed]

Dear John,

The blackout period for City Council communications has officially ended—for now. We may need to pause again 90 days before the general election this August, but for now, we’re back to regularly scheduled programming.

Office Closure Notice: Our office will be closed on Friday, July 4, 2025, in observance of Independence Day. You can still reach us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or leave a voicemail at (718) 499-1090—we’ll respond when we return on Monday, July 7. For urgent matters, contact our Chief of Staff, Matt, at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

Reflecting on This Moment

It’s been a milestone week for our city and district. I’m deeply honored to start my third and final term as your Council Member this January. Representing the community that raised me continues to be the greatest privilege of my life.

As we look ahead, my team and I are committed to fighting for:
* Safe, accessible streets
* Universal childcare
* Deeply affordable housing
* And resisting the Trump Administration’s continued attacks on our rights and communities.


Launching the District 39 Tree Care Team!

Did you know one tree removes 26 pounds of CO₂ annually, the equivalent of emissions from 11,000 miles of car travel? NYC’s urban forest also reduces stormwater runoff by nearly 900 million gallons every year.

But being a city tree isn’t easy—and they need our help! That’s why we’re launching the District 39 Tree Care Team ([link removed]) in partnership with Big Reuse and local civic groups to care for our trees, spread awareness, and build a more climate-resilient city.

You can help too:
* Water baby trees weekly (15–20 gallons, May–October)
* Clear out litter and weeds from the tree bed
* Mulch and care for nearby trees year-round

If you’re interested in joining our Tree Care Team or are part of a local green effort, fill out this interest form and we’ll be in touch! ([link removed])
[link removed]

Click the image above to watch our video explainer introducing our Tree Care Team!
[link removed]

Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) Vote Postponed

The Task Force vote on the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Vision Plan has been postponed (again) to mid-July—marking the third delay. Had the vote proceeded last Friday, I would have voted no.

From the outset, this process excluded critical voices—especially from the Columbia Waterfront, an environmental justice community. Despite repeated asks, no local stakeholder from the neighborhood was ever appointed to the Task Force. That exclusion has consequences.

The proposal still falls short on:
1. Transportation and infrastructure impacts
2. Environmental resilience
3. Displacement protections

Most alarmingly, the closure of the SIMS Concrete Recycling Facility has been unfairly tied to the Vision Plan. That facility must be shut down immediately and independently, without being leveraged as a bargaining chip.

Even if the plan moves forward, residents will face years of disruptive construction without sufficient guarantees that the benefits will outweigh the burden. This neighborhood deserves a plan that puts community voices first and delivers real, lasting public good.

That said, I’ve seen notable improvements to the plan in recent weeks, and I remain committed to returning to the table to push for a stronger, fairer, and more just vision—one shaped by and for the people most impacted.

FY26 City Budget

On Friday, Speaker Adrienne Adams and Mayor Eric Adams announced a handshake deal on the FY26 Budget ([link removed]) . My team and I are closely reviewing the final details.

The full Council will vote tomorrow at the Stated Meeting. Please reach out to my office if you have thoughts or feedback on the budget. I’ll be sharing more on what it means for our communities shortly after the vote.

Community Bulletin
* Have a say in New York City's first Urban Forest Plan! ​​​Led by the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) in collaboration with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks), City Parks Foundation, Natural Areas Conservancy, and The Nature Conservancy, the Urban Forest Plan will outline strategies to equitably expand the city’s tree canopy to 30%, an initiative in PlaNYC, the city’s long-term climate plan, aimed at addressing extreme heat. Fill out this questionnaire ([link removed]) by tomorrow, 6/30, to ensure that you submit your feedback as the City embarks on this plan!
* The Rent Guidelines Board’s final vote, considering a rent hike of up to 4.75% for one-year leases and a staggering 7.75% for two-year leases on rent-stabilized apartments, is tomorrow, Monday, 6:30 PM at 7 PM at El Museo del Barrio (1230 5th Avenue at 104th Street, New York, NY 10029). For countless New Yorkers, an increase of this size would be devastating. Make your voice heard before the Rent Guidelines Board makes its final, binding decision by submitting written testimony using this form ([link removed]) .
* Enjoy free meals for youth ages 18 and under in Prospect Park ([link removed]) this summer! Every day from 6/27 through 8/29, free meals will be distributed from the NYC Department of Education ([link removed]) in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance at the Parkside and Ocean Avenue entrance to Prospect Park. Visit the NYC DOE meals truck from 10 AM to 4 PM on weekdays and 11 AM to 3 PM on weekends.

* The Forth on Fourth Ave (FOFA) Trash Group is helping to keep our community clean and beautiful on Monday, 6/30 at 6:30 PM with a Community Trash Clean-up. Meet the group at 10th Street and 4th Avenue and bring your trash grabbers, if you have one. RSVPs are encouraged at this Eventbrite link ([link removed]) or by contacting [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
* On Thursday, July 10, from 12:30 PM to 6:30 PM, the New York Blood Center will conduct a blood drive at the 76th Precinct (191 Union St., Brooklyn, NY 11231). Sign up to donate blood ([link removed]) .

In Solidarity,

Council Member Shahana

[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]

Our mailing address is:
New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif
197 Bond Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
USA
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences ([link removed]) or unsubscribe ([link removed])
[link removed]