*At last night’s Fort Greene Association meeting, Deb Howard, Executive Director and John Furlong, Deputy Director of Community Organizing, of Pratt Area Community Council (PACC) highlighted some of the work they have done over the past two years to help longtime residents and businesses combat some of the hardships they have faced in the neighborhood.

• Affordable Housing Development -- 300 units developed
• Property Management – managed over 600 units including properties for Habitat for Humanity
• Economic Development – connect more than 200 small businesses and merchants with legal, financial and marketing services
• Home Services – served more than 600 clients looking to purchase their first home
• Community Organizing – prevented 60 evictions
• Social Services – served 51 lead poised children and 41 adults

For more information about their programs and services, and to learn about PACC housing developments in the pipeline, visit the PACC website.

*Mr. William Cardinale, Acting Director of the New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) for Brooklyn gave an update on the renovations at the Whitman & Ingersoll Housing Developments. He said that 170 vacant apartments were renovated and turned over to residents, and an additional 425 apartments are currently being renovated and are set to be completed in June 2010. The right of first refusal for these apartments will go to local displaced residents. Mr. Cardinale was pressed on why there were only eight local hires for the project. He answered that it met the minimum 15% requirement of the labor portion of the capital budget, but was unable to communicate the dollar amount that the eight hires represented.

City Councilmember Tish James explained that NYCHA is not mandated to hire a specific number of local residents. They are only asked to use reasonable effort to meet the requirement. She said the New York City Council has formed a committee to monitor the activities of NYCHA.

*In response to complaints about insufficient lighting along the pedestrian walkway at Clifton Place and Grand Avenue, the Department of Transportation said it’s against their policy to light pedestrian walkways. However, the Fort Greene Association will work with the office of City Councilmember Tish James to get the policy changed.

*Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill will partner with the Fulton Business Alliance to giveaway 300 trees in mid April

Former Fort Greene Association chair, Howard Pitsch wrote a book about the history of Fort Greene entitled, “Images of America”. You can purchase advance copies here.