Addabbo Votes to Approve Legislation Requiring Community Notification and Input Before New Schools are Sited in City Neighborhoods

Howard Beach, NY (May 16, 2016) Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., a member of the Senate Education Committee, recently voted to approve legislation (S.5387) that would require New York City education agencies to notify local residents about land purchased for the siting of a new school and to hold a public forum to gather input from the community on the pros and cons of locating new classroom facilities in the area. 

“Although new classroom space is always needed in New York City, with many schools filled beyond capacity, care needs to be taken when land or other real property is acquired by the City with the intent of opening a new facility,” said Addabbo. “Local communities that would be home to the new school – and any accompanying traffic congestion, construction impacts, parking issues and safety concerns – should be consulted before the first shovel enters the ground.”  

Addabbo stated that he had the issues regarding the new proposed elementary school, P.S. 335 in Ozone Park, in mind when voting in favor of the bill.

Under the bill, the New York City Board of Education or Panel for Educational Policy, together with the New York City School Construction Authority, would be required to notify the local community board about real property acquired for a new school. Within 45 to 90 days of the notification, the agencies must hold a community forum to gather input from local residents on whether the proposed location is appropriate to the purpose. The time, date and location of the forum would be decided in conjunction with the local community board to help ensure it is being held in a way most convenient for residents of the neighborhood. 

“Very often, residents of a particular community have a much better understanding of their area and how it would be impacted by the siting of a new school or other facility than the City bureaucracy,” said Addabbo. “This legislation would help to ensure that the people who have the most at stake when a new school is being proposed for their area have a chance to let the heads of the appropriate education policy and construction agencies know whether they are going down the right or wrong path. Furthermore, they would be in the position to suggest improvements that might ultimately keep a needed school project on track.”

The legislation was approved by the full State Senate on May 9. In the Assembly, the bill is under review by the Education Committee.