PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Karen Blondel, Founder of Public Housing Civic Association
1:08:46
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140 sec
Karen Blondel, founder of the Public Housing Civic Association, testified in support of the 150 Mill Street rezoning project in Red Hook, Brooklyn. She highlighted her experience in securing funding for public housing improvements and emphasized the need for job creation and workforce development in the area.
- Blondel argued that the proposed 10-story building is not concerning given the existing 10-12 story FEMA-built central heat plant nearby
- She criticized the Industrial Business Zone (IBZ) for not providing sufficient job opportunities for public housing residents
- Blondel expressed support for creating a workforce corridor to connect public housing residents with job opportunities, including at the new EDC site
Karen Blondel
1:08:46
Can you hear me?
1:08:47
Yeah.
1:08:47
Okay.
1:08:48
Good good afternoon.
1:08:49
Hello, Alexa.
1:08:51
I was City Council member and to the chair, and I don't remember who you are.
1:08:56
But anyway, I am the founder of Public Housing Civic Association.
1:09:02
I founded it in 2020 after securing $240,000,000 for Gojones and White Cove Houses.
1:09:11
That was from the city of New York.
1:09:13
Because I was able to build a coalition of public housing residents.
1:09:18
That money goes towards their bathrooms and kitchens.
1:09:21
Rapid was built way before that.
1:09:24
It's a part of 150.
1:09:25
And what I see at 150 Mill Street, right across the street is a central heat and plant that was built by FEMA.
1:09:32
It is about 10 to 12 stories tall, and it's supposed to take all of the heat or or some fights only the heat across Redhook.
1:09:41
So one of the things as a person who's an engineer assistant, a ten story building that abuts the Hamilton Expressway is not that concerning to me in regards to heights when you have a building adjacent that night you're built without a euro up.
1:09:58
That's gonna have other effects.
1:10:00
Secondly, public housing civic has been running on air.
1:10:05
Holy Spirit air.
1:10:07
Okay?
1:10:08
I want a David Prize.
1:10:10
And I have not received any money from anybody.
1:10:12
As a matter of fact, I haven't even worked in the last 8 months because I'm given back to my community, the Red Oak Houses.
1:10:19
A part of that is building a workforce corridor I've asked the IBZ as an organizer since 2016.
1:10:28
Show me the numbers of the people in public housing that you have helped get a job in your IBZ.
1:10:33
What kind of jobs are in the IBZ?
1:10:36
Oh, that would be Amazon.
1:10:38
They didn't want Amazon in Redhook.
1:10:40
So we can't we cannot we cannot suffice this city council in regards to this area.
1:10:49
You know?
1:10:49
So what I'm saying is, it's gonna be a workforce corridor that's going to help us get from Guanace through Redhook to that beautiful site that the port authority just gave up to the EDC.
1:11:01
So that we can make some money in projects too and get some trades.
1:11:05
Thank you.