City Council candidates on Brooklyn Bridge Park

On May 21, I attended IND's endorsement meeting. IND, the Independent Neighborhood Democrats, is the local Democratic club for the 52nd Assembly District. While there, I asked each and every candidate for the 33rd and 39th City Council Districts (David Yassky and Bill de Blasio's seats), the same question: 'Do you oppose new housing in Brooklyn Bridge Park?'

All the candidates for the 39th District unequivocally said that they opposed new housing in the park. The only difference among them was the degree of detail that they offered in demonstrating their opposition.

The situation was much different in the 33rd. Here are the holdouts:

1. Steve Levin declined to attend the event. He reportedly has a habit of doing that.

2. Isaac Abraham refused to answer the question. He beat around the bush and said he would have to talk to the parties involved. It was clear that he did not understand the issue.

3. Jo Anne Simon described housing as a 'last resort'. Later in the evening I spoke to her one-on-one to see if, given a second chance, she would take a stronger position against housing. She did not.

The position of the CHA has always been to oppose new housing in the park. It is a clear, simple position, and we encourage everyone to take a similarly hard line against the construction of new housing in a public park.