MEDIA ADVISORY- Red Hook Town Hall Meeting

MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: Jim Vogel jvogel@senate.state.ny.us  718-638-3349 / 718-689-4384

WHAT: Red Hook Town Hall Meeting on Public Housing

WHO: Residents of Red Hook Houses East & West, NYCHA Chairman Ricardo Elias Morales, and elected officials, including Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez, and Margarita Lopez

WHEN: Thursday, April 23, 2009
              6PM to 8PM

WHERE: Calvary Baptist Church of Red Hook
               773 Hicks Street (between West 9th and Mill Streets)
                Brooklyn, NY 11231

A Red Hook Town Hall Meeting will be held Thursday, April 23, 2009 from 6PM to 8PM at the Calvary Baptist Church of Red Hook, 773 Hicks Street in Brooklyn. The meeting is being organized by NY State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez and is being co-sponsored by Dorothy Shields, President of the Tenant Association, Red Hook East Houses and Lillie Marshall, President of the Tenant Association, Red Hook West Houses.

During the current climate of financial uncertainty and city budget difficulties, this meeting will provide an opportunity for the residents of Red Hook Houses East & West to meet with New York City Housing Authority Chairman Ricardo Elias Morales and learn NYCHA’s plans for preserving the Red Hook Houses and their programs. Local community organizations will also be attending with information about their programs and services.

Participating community organizations include Added Value/Red Hook Community Farm , Dance Theatre Etcetera, Inc., Good Shepherd Services, Red Hook Civic Association, Red Hook Community Justice Center, Red Hook Initiative, Red Hook Lions, Red Hook Public Library, Red Hook Rise, Red Hook Senior Center, South Brooklyn Community High School, Urban Divers, Village Care of Red Hook Community Center, Waterfront Museum

Background
The Red Hook Houses were built in 1938 and are the largest Brooklyn NYCHA development, containing 2,878 apartments. A wide variety of programs are offered by NYCHA that are geared specifically to special age or special needs groups such as children, teens, single-parents, seniors, substance abusers, and victims of domestic violence, among others. Citywide, NYCHA oversees a network of over 400 community facilities that include community centers, senior centers, health care centers, day care and Head Start educational centers.