Adam Meagher
Senior Vice President
New York City Economic Development Corporation
One Liberty Plaza
New York, NY 10006
Dear Adam Meagher,
Last year you invited me along with other community leaders and local elected officials to be a member of the Steering Committee of the Sunnyside Yards Planning Process. I accepted your invitation in hopes that it would offer another avenue for advocating for the needs of the community members I represent. So far, I have not found this to be the case.
Specifically, the community members that I represent and work in solidarity with have repeatedly, and in multiple ways (i.e. written statements, attendance at public meetings, press conference, etc.), communicated to the NYCEDC that NO development over the Yards is what is most desired. Beyond issues of equity, the collective reasonings are undergirded by environmental and health concerns. Rather, we have advocated that any public money, efforts or resources that would be directed towards development over the yards, should be invested in shoring up the existing transportation infrastructure that already exists there, or investing it in other under-funded public resources that our community relies on – such as repairing public housing or public transportation.
I have relayed this view to NYCEDC representatives during steering committee meetings; as have other members of the steering committee. And despite being told by these same representatives that if the community rejected this development, then no development would occur, NYCEDC has continued to move forward with the project by hosting public and private meetings with various stakeholders.
In light of these concerns and frustrations, I submit to you my resignation from the Sunnyside Yards Master Planning Steering Committee. Please confirm receipt of this notice.
Sincerely,
Sylvia White
Chair of the Justice For All Coalition
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