Fight for a Coney Island for All

Coney Island is a community that struggles with high unemployment, high poverty, the rapid loss of affordable housing, and a dwindling amusement district once hailed as the "peoples' playground." The City is about to invest millions of our dollars to revitalize this struggling neighborhood, but it's doubtful Mayor Bloomberg's current development plan will truly benefit the entire community or bring opportunity to residents in need.

The City's current plan does not provide guarantees that new jobs will be good, family-supporting jobs available to local residents, nor does it guarantee adequate amounts of affordable housing. The City also needs to do more to preserve outdoor amusements and spaces for local small businesses and vendors, and include important amenities like a school, supermarket, and improved public transportation in its plan.

The City should be promoting development that benefits all New Yorkers, not just real estate developers and Wall Street. In the wake of the economic crisis, we need to invest in working families in order to rebuild our economy from the ground up.

The future of Coney Island will be decided this month at City Hall. Please make your voice heard today for a Coney Island for All!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please Support a Coney Island for All

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am asking you to make sure that the City's plan to redevelop Coney Island truly benefits the neighborhood by guaranteeing family-sustaining jobs, more affordable housing, and improved infrastructure while retaining the working class playground and creating much-needed public amenities.

The City should promote development that benefits all New Yorkers by including the Coney Island for All recommendations in its plan to redevelop Coney Island.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
July 01, 2009

Background Information

Much of Coney Island's existing affordable housing is at-risk due to expiring subsidy programs such as Mitchell-Lama and the phenomenon of "predatory equity." And new development will likely create gentrification pressure that will increase the cost of housing for current residents.
Coney Island has a 13% unemployment rate–that's higher than the rest of Brooklyn and New York City. The neighborhood also has one of the highest poverty rates in all of New York City, at 30%.
Through years of disinvestment, the active amusement area at Coney Island has been shrinking and must be strengthened to become a destination for all New Yorkers and tourists once more.
Coney Island residents lack access to healthy food, experience frequent flooding and brown-outs, and long commute times to major employment centers.

The City's current plan does not address these important issues facing Coney Island. The City has the power to incorporate the Coney Island for All recommendations into its plan.

Coney Island for All is a coalition of civic groups, labor unions, Coney Island residents and workers that believes the City's plan to revitalize Coney Island must guarantee family-sustaining jobs and affordable housing, while retaining the working class playground and creating much-needed public amenities. Our coalition represents 250,000 New Yorkers and includes ACORN, New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council, New York Jobs with Justice, The Pratt Center for Community Development, RWDSU, 32BJ SEIU, and the UFCW.