After months of fighting city agencies to address the disruption caused by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) green infrastructure project in Boro Park, Councilman Simcha Felder secured a major victory for residents: DDC will relocate its long-term construction staging materials off residential streets, restoring parking spaces that were occupied for months. The change is expected to reduce the project’s staging footprint by as much as 70%, addressing one of the community’s biggest concerns.

“Every parking space we bring back to the community matters,” said Councilman Simcha Felder. “That’s why we asked senior city officials to leave their comfortable conference rooms and come out to see firsthand what Boro Park residents have been dealing with these many months.”

The breakthrough came after Felder hosted an on-site inspection with representatives from DEP, DDC, Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson’s senior staff, the Intergovernmental Affairs team, and the project's contractor. 

Felder expressed gratitude to all the senior staff and officials who came out to attend the meeting. "I want to thank the Deputy Mayor’s team and all of the agency representatives who came out today. They drove our streets looking for parking, walked several blocks in the blazing sun and seeing how things could be done better, are motivated to get it done," Felder said.

Felder's concerns about the project are not new. Last summer, he urged the City to schedule this project during the summer, when neighborhood traffic in Boro Park is lighter, parking is at a lesser premium, and schools are closed.

 “I was very clear: Schedule all of Boro Park’s major infrastructure projects during the summer months and maximize productivity,” said Felder. Who is coordinating the agencies, and who is ensuring the work gets done as promised?"

Beyond the immediate concerns, Felder said the project highlights the need for a more thoughtful process that brings all relevant City agencies and local stakeholders to the table together before construction projects begin. 

"As Ben Franklin said, ‘Failure to plan, is planning to fail,’ It’s been clear for a long time that the City needs a better process. Agencies must sit down with the local Council Member, Community Board, and other involved agencies to identify likely issues and plan solutions in advance,” Felder said. 

Felder is now writing legislation to require agencies to conduct an inter-agency “Community Impact Assessment” in consultation with local representatives and the Community Board, before any major project can be approved. The assessment would identify the people and communities most likely to be affected and their specific cultural or community needs. It would then identify the negative impacts of the project on communities such as temporary loss of parking, access to private properties and public services, or other community resources during construction—and require the agencies to plan how they will reduce those impacts and help residents navigate them for the duration of the project.

"My office will keep fighting every day for better coordination, and practical solutions that ease the burden on Boro Parkers," promised Councilman Felder.