REMARKS
Background on Williamsburg daycare lease issue
1:17:22
·
157 sec
Council Member Gutiérrez provides detailed background on a case involving a beloved daycare in Williamsburg that faced lease uncertainty, which inspired Intro 191. She explains the challenges faced by the daycare and the community's efforts to address the issue.
- The daycare had previously secured 20-year leases but faced uncertainty about renewal
- The facility served over 180 children and employed 45 staff members
- The case highlighted communication issues between the city, tenants, and private landlords
- The situation sparked an 18-20 month process to work with the landlord and find a solution
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:17:22
I'm not too sure how long.
1:17:24
You've been at DeCast, but there was a beloved privately rented day care in the south side of Williamsburg.
1:17:33
Now we're coming up on 10 years next fall who had for a long time secured 20 year leases when the city could do 20 year leases to operate this childcare facility.
1:17:45
And the the staff at the daycare approached me at the time as a staffer, and and now Brooklyn Bureau president, proven council member.
1:17:52
But you know so saying, we think our lease is up.
1:17:54
Right?
1:17:55
And so these are the the tenants of the property saying we have no sense of the lease, but we think that the lease is up.
1:18:03
Our landlord, we're in prime real estate in Williamsburg, is bringing people in to look at the building.
1:18:10
We have no sense if we're gonna be able to renew our lease.
1:18:12
We have over a 180 kids at this particular facility.
1:18:16
We have over 45 staff members at this particular facility.
1:18:19
This will be a huge loss.
1:18:20
That what what started and council member chair Rustler at the time was it part of the administration and and part of the solution there was started, like, an 18 to 20 month process of trying to figure out how to work with this landlord, this private landlord who had no incentive of renewing a lease had very little communication with the city.
1:18:37
My understanding, it was the only ability it was the only line of access was between Decast directly and the landlord.
1:18:44
The tenant traditionally has no say when renewing that lease.
1:18:48
And so this is the the really the spirit and inspiration of this bill.
1:18:53
Next year, they'll be coming up on their 10 year, and we'll be having this fight all over again.
1:18:57
And I fear that it happens more and more as specifically gentrifying and and vulnerable communities where there is little incentive to continue to do business with the city, whether that be for a childcare facility or a senior center.
1:19:10
And we're not getting enough notice from the city, from Decast, in this instance, to really help, to be a part of the process.
1:19:18
We are folks in the community have relationship with these landlords, and I I think it wasn't until we were able to step in that there was a much more favorable outcome of at least.
1:19:27
So the spirit of the bill is to give tenants who have the relationship with those tenants with the landlords, excuse me, 2 years notice.
1:19:35
Now from your testimony, I know it says you're reviewing the impact.
1:19:39
You're checking with your law department on the city's ability to meet the obligations.
1:19:44
What is the The bill is nearly calling for, like, physical mail and an email 2 years before.
1:19:54
What are you anticipating is the impact on the agency's ability to meet that requirement?
