Community Board 3 held its regular monthly meeting and public hearing on September 8, at the Multipurpose Room, 1368 Fulton Street, with Chair Anthony Buissereth and District Manager Nadeen A. Gayle presiding. Here’s a rundown of what came up, for anyone in the neighborhood who couldn’t make it.
Housing coming to Vann Court and Fulton-Howard West
The Housing & Land Use Committee opened with an update on Vann Court, the site at 784-800 Myrtle Avenue that’s been vacant for decades and is finally getting redeveloped into affordable housing. It’s named for the late Al Vann, the longtime Bed-Stuy assemblyman and council member. Brooklyn Borough Planner Sophia Matheney and Predevelopment Planner Rosana Valencia walked the board through the community engagement launch for the project.
There was also a public hearing on the Fulton-Howard RFP process, HPD’s plan for 1958 Fulton Street. That’s the site of the existing Multi-Service Center, which needs roughly $60 million in capital repairs. The plan calls for new affordable housing along with new space for community services.
Speeding up buses on Dekalb and Lafayette
The Transportation, Sanitation & Environment Committee held a public hearing on the Dekalb and Lafayette Avenues Bus and Safety Project, part of the city’s 2026 Next Stop Report. DOT safety educator Maria Cruz explained the goal: get the B38 bus, which carries about 18,000 riders a day, moving faster along Dekalb from Broadway to Flatbush and Lafayette from Broadway to Fulton Street, while also building safer bike connections.
What elected officials and their staff shared
A number of elected officials and representatives stopped by with updates and announcements:
- Assemblyman Jabari Bridgeport is looking into discretionary funding for community-based organizations.
- A representative for Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez mentioned a legal aid event on October 3 to help clear old warrants, plus 1,000 free backpacks and a trip to the aquarium and Coney Island for kids. Call 718-250-2350 for details.
- Matthew Vascov of Catholic Charities talked about the New Age Older Adult Center on MacDonald Avenue, which offers activities, vendors, and other services for seniors. Call 929-397-2628.
- Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman covered a few things: SNAP benefit eligibility (having a job, being in school, or volunteering all count), an international handball championship coming to St. John’s Park with teams from 11 countries, and a reminder that National Voter Registration Day is next week.
- Council Member Lincoln Restler, District 33, updated the board on tree planting along Taaffe Place, repaving the Taaffe Place playground’s handball court, and the growing number of Jewish families moving into Bed-Stuy. He also mentioned a one-year ban on AI use in schools, new limits on student screen time, a food bank opening in South Williamsburg near the Bed-Stuy border, outdoor dining rules, and asked residents to report missing garbage cans at bit.ly/33cans.
- Alvaro, from the Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement, flagged the September 17 expiration of Temporary Protected Status for community members it affects, shared information on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 (at nyc.gov/sept11), and spoke about the Mayor’s Office of Worker Power and organized tenant power. He also addressed community guidance on disruptive filming in the neighborhood.
- Rodney shared his mentoring program for young people ages 11 to 14, which combines building racing cars with vocabulary work.
- A representative from Passengers United raised Sammy’s Law, which would let the city set its own speed limits without needing state approval.
Other community items
A resident asked about the status of the Restoration Plaza redevelopment and where the plans could be viewed online. Tiffanie Burt of the Democratic Club and Canacius Trainor-Cooper both reminded everyone that National Voter Registration Day falls on Tuesday; Canacius is also working to bring community hospitals directly into the neighborhood and can be reached at 929-304-5000.
There was also a question about the long-vacant lot at Fulton and Saratoga Avenues, where rats and overgrown grass have been an ongoing complaint. The board said it’s been in touch with the developer and that site plans for a mixed-use commercial and residential building should be coming soon, though where trash bins will go is still being worked out.
Next meeting
CB3’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026. As always, anyone who wants to speak during the Community Announcements & Public Comments portion needs to sign up by 6pm the night of the meeting, either online or in person.
