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Residents press board over proposed BRC SRO project and criticize chair’s leadership
Summary
Multiple residents urged Community Board 11 to oppose a proposed BRC single‑room‑occupancy project and criticized Chair Cynthia Rodriguez’s leadership and transparency on minutes and committee decisions; the chair pushed back that committee mergers were board‑approved and that the board has no formal vote on as‑of‑right projects.
Public commenters used the gallery session on April 23 to press the board about a proposed BRC single‑room‑occupancy (SRO) homeless housing project and to criticize the board’s leadership and transparency.
Brian Adams told the board: "I don't like it... building single room occupancy apartment is illegal in New York City," and urged the board and community to oppose the SRO design. Roxan Delgado and several other speakers said they were not against housing generally but objected to the BRC plan for Palm Park, questioned the adequacy of public notice for meeting changes, and asserted that the project would reduce housing stock in a high‑density neighborhood.
Robert Press, speaking during the gallery session, said Community Board 11 "has declined the past two years under Chair Cynthia Rodriguez," alleging poor committee attendance, late or missing minutes, and advocacy in favor of Propel New York and the BRC project. Chair Cynthia Rodriguez responded that the decision to merge committees had been made by full board vote and defended efforts to improve minutes and uploads to the website, saying the board will make a leadership decision at the next chair election.
Speakers also disagreed about funding sources for BRC: one speaker said the project receives "95%" of its funding from a single agency and is not privately financed; others urged board members to read a councilmember’s letter and a borough president video referenced by commenters. The chair emphasized that the BRC proposal is an "as‑of‑right" project and that the board does not have a direct vote on the matter at this stage.
The board did not take a formal vote on BRC at the April 23 meeting; members asked for the council letter and borough president materials to be reviewed and for the topic to be discussed further in an appropriate committee.
