A History of Activism, a Focus on the Future

2020 brought extraordinary upheaval and uncertainty. For so many of us, this year cannot end soon enough! But 2020 was also a year of community spirit and resilience in Brooklyn Heights, and we at the BHA are proud of our work during such a challenging time.

A better BQE for all of Brooklyn

At the end of January, the community celebrated as Mayor de Blasio publicly embraced the recommendation of his Expert Panel to find a more sustainable solution to the problems of the aging BQE. Community action prevailed and with your help we saved a treasured community asset!

Throughout the year, we’ve continued to monitor on-going BQE repair work and press city agencies to keep our community informed. The BHA is a founding member of the Coalition for the BQE Transformation (BQET), a collection of diverse organizations and individuals advocating for a solution that will permanently transform the BQE corridor for the better across our borough.

Help for workers displaced by the lockdown 

In May, the BHA launched Brooklyn Heights Together, a COVID-response effort to support wage earners displaced from their jobs in the neighborhood. The Brooklyn Heights community stepped up with donations ranging from $7 to $5,000 – and everything in between! With your generous support, we quickly raised over $50,000 which was distributed as cash grants to restaurant workers, store clerks, delivery people and others to help with groceries, medicine, utility bills and other basic needs.

 Keeping Brooklyn Heights green, clean, and vibrant

With so many residents working from home this year, quality of life concerns are top of mind. City budget cuts have in dramatically impacted sanitation and other city services. We speak weekly with the Departments of Transportation, Sanitation, Parks, as well as with our elected officials to make your concerns heard. After months of pressure from the BHA, NYC Parks delivered twenty new rat-resistant trash cans to the Promenade and began a program of weekly rodent abatement.

Our annual Halloween Parade took place this year fully compliant with masking and social distancing requirements, but no less joyful! In a year full of cancelled milestones and celebrations the event brought families and the community together. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle even declared that the BHA “Helps Save Halloween.”

Your support – and your voice – make a difference

There is one clear reason that the BHA is such an effective advocate for our community: you. We depend on your ideas, your energy, and your support. Please donate today to help us continue our work.

On behalf of the entire Board of Governors, we thank you and send best wishes for the coming year,

Erika & Lara

New! We can now accept gifts of stock – if you would like more information about this option, please call the office at 718-858-9193 or email info@thebha.org.