Responding to the continued lack of public accountability and involvement with the Atlantic Yards project, elected officials and civic groups today called on the State and the City to overhaul how the Atlantic Yards project is governed.

“One of the most alarming aspects of the Atlantic Yards process over the last few years has been Forest City's lack of accountability to the public,” said Brooklyn City Councilman David Yassky. “This must change. An appropriate governance structure should be put in place to actively monitor any developments in the Atlantic Yards Project.”

“We still have no real governance structure in place, no ombudsman, and no place for the community to voice their concerns,” said Councilmember Letitia James. “The 421-a tax abatement carve-out for the Ratner project is beyond unacceptable. It shows yet again that this project is not, and has never been, about the community benefits.”

"There needs to be a conversation between the State and the communities affected by this project that rationalizes, i.e. downsizes the project, while assuring that the affordable housing gets built. The current plan and structure will not accomplish these desired results and that’s why I am endorsing the community-based governance structure proposed by Brooklyn Speaks," said Assembly member Jim Brennan.

To address the continued lack of public involvement in the project, elected officials and sponsors of the BrooklynSpeaks.net campaign today released a “working draft” of a governance white paper describing how a meaningful role for the public in the planning of the Atlantic Yards project could be achieved, along with greater accountability and transparency in the project’s development. To read the paper, click here

The document sets out the context for the lack of community involvement so far, arguing that the decision to override the City’s land-use approval process and the rush to approve the project before Governor Pataki left office in December 2006 ensured that the public did not have any meaningful role in shaping the project.

The paper has two principal recommendations: that a Planning and Oversight entity be established to oversee the implementation of the project plan—including future changes to the plan, and that a Stakeholder Council be established to advise this entity.

The Planning and Oversight Entity would include representatives from the City and State agencies and local elected officials. The Stakeholder Council would be comprised of representatives from local community groups, including those that both support and oppose the current. project. Similar stakeholder groups in other projects–such as the Gowanus Expressway Stakeholders Group–have demonstrated how the State and local communities can work together successfully.

“Local elected officials, community organizations, civic groups, and individual residents have been afforded no significant, consequential input during the decision-making process for what is by far Brooklyn’s most ambitious development proposal, Atlantic Yards. The governance design unfolded today will provide a means for comprehensive oversight of all phases of this project and a mechanism for the people of Brooklyn and their representatives to have a meaningful voice in an endeavor that will so profoundly affect our borough,” said State Senator Eric Adams.

“We hope to start a serious conversation about how the public can be involved in the governance of this project. The impact of this project if it moves forward is simply too big for New Yorkers not to be listened to.” said Jo Anne Simon, Democratic District Leader for the 52nd Assembly District.

The BrooklynSpeaks.net governance paper “Reforming the governance of Atlantic Yards: A roadmap” is available to read by clicking here

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