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:
Transportation and infrastructure impacts
Environmental resilience
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. 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 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.
Enjoy free meals for youth ages 18 and under in Prospect Park this summer! Every day from 6/27 through 8/29, free meals will be distributed from the NYC Department of Education 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 or by contacting [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.
In Solidarity,
Council Member Shahana
