Infiltration Basins Will Capture More Than 122 Million Gallons—Enough to Fill 184 Olympic Swimming Pools—of Stormwater Annually Keeping East Flatbush and Canarsie Residents Safe Reduce Effects of Hotter Summers on Heat-Vulnerable Neighborhoods in New York City New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the completion of a $42.3 million safety project in East Flatbush and Canarsie that will reduce street flooding and keep New Yorkers safe during rainstorms Nearly 1,200 new flood-fighting assets will keep excess rainwater off the streets and out of the sewers This includes 906 infiltration basins and 291 rain gardens which will capture approximately 122.5 million gallons of stormwater annually—enough to fill 184 Olympic-sized swimming pools “Protecting New Yorkers from the clear and present danger to life and property that flooding poses is critical to keeping New Yorkers safe on Earth Day and every day,” said Mayor Adams “These investments in Canarsie and East Flatbush will capture enough water annually to fill 184 Olympic swimming pools—keeping residents safe and reducing flooding Our administration continues to focus on creating a safer and with climate change continuing to produce more intense and more frequent extreme weather investments like these are a key part of our public safety and affordability strategies.” “Stronger and more frequent storms are felt more acutely with every passing year one thing is clear: We need to bring every resource we have to bear to protect communities from the water that laps at our shores and inundates us from above,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeff Roth “Delivering rain gardens and infiltration basins may seem minor they offset tens of millions of gallons of rainwater Locations of new flood mitigation public safety infrastructure in East Flatbush (left) and Canarsie (right) Credit: New York City Department of Environmental Protection but at sidewalk level they have a walkable surface that blends into the surrounding conditions As part of the project, the city planted 223 trees across East Flatbush and Canarsie, which have historically been two of New York’s most heat-vulnerable neighborhoods. The trees provide shade, improve air quality, and relieve the urban heat island effect. Cared for by NYC Parks, the new trees build on the record number of trees planted by NYC Parks in FY24 “Every storm is a reminder that climate change is here and hitting New York City hard,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T “This new green infrastructure in East Flatbush and Canarsie will soak up stormwater to ease flooding and reduce pollution Green infrastructure like this can be delivered to New Yorkers quickly and with little construction disruption.” “These trees will help to cool some of the city’s hottest neighborhoods one of our Climate Strong Communities,” said Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice Executive Director Elijah Hutchinson so many of our residents are at risk of multiple climate threats Today’s announcement is a perfect example of how we’re going to have to think holistically to keep our communities safe from climate hazards as the city gets hotter and wetter.” “Bringing green infrastructure to East Flatbush and Canarsie Brooklyn as part of these two projects is just one way we are celebrating Earth Week at DDC,” said New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley “We are completing other projects like these all over the city and have a team working hard every day to find engineering and architectural solutions to make our infrastructure and public buildings stock greener while also combating the effects of climate change and the New York City Department of Transportation for working with us on these important upgrades that help curb flooding and beautify streets.” “Investments in resilient infrastructure are vital to keeping our city and New Yorkers safe,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Andrew Kimball “We are proud to work with our partners at DEP and DDC to build significant green infrastructure such as infiltration basins and rain gardens that will help protect Brooklyn from street flooding and water pollution resulting in cleaner and greener neighborhoods.” Last fall, Mayor Adams celebrated milestones in five major public safety projects including the completion of major sewer upgrades that tripled drainage capacity in College Point and doubled it in Maspeth the installation of the 200th flood sensor in Corona and breaking ground on the first Cloudburst project at the New York City Housing Authority’s South Jamaica Houses which will keep nearly 3.5 million gallons of stormwater out of the sewer system each year A Jewish woman was assaulted last Wednesday morning while walking in East Flatbush The incident occurred near Utica Ave and Lenox Rd when the perpetrator randomly approached the victim and suddenly punched her in the chest knocking her to the ground Crown Heights Shmira was called and quickly responded He was placed under arrest by the NYPD’s 67th Precinct and found to be in possession of a knife at the time of his arrest Sign up for the COLlive Daily News Roundup and never miss a story Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) And part of the guilty is that they allow people to feel they can go these things and overall have nothing happen to them essentially being part of their crime and facilitating it Never forget that the manufactured crime is for an agenda To use as an excuse to justify limiting your freedom in the name of safety and to justify more taxes for theft by these same government people causing the problems in the first place Don’t fall for the proposed solutions that never solve the created problems in the first place do we still have catch and release?….good Shabbos and stay safe out there…and such… This is what happens when you have Democrats running the show complete chaos where the criminals get away with their crimes and innocent people have to be afraid to walk in the streets of their own neighborhood I’m so sick and tired of hearing non stop a Jewish man or a Jewish woman was assaulted by some violent maniac but was “arrested” arrest means absolutely nothing if dangerous criminals are released from jail shortly after committing a crime it’s such joke and a disgrace They don’t care one bit about public safety and… Read more » The peasants should tell AG James not to approve more homeless shelters in CH If the man was a jew and the woman was of color This happens every single day it’s crazy also scooters and bikes getting stolen in lefferts and Rutland parks every day Thank you SHMIRA for getting this guy off the streets City Councilmember Chris Banks’ Brooklyn District saw the greatest number of income-restricted apartments built: 1,439 two districts in Eastern Queens and Manhattan’s west side saw zero units New York City helped create or preserve 27,620 affordable apartments a nearly 10 percent boost compared to the average over the last five years Just over 14,000 of those units were new construction The latest report follows similar trends as in previous years: the districts that produced the most affordable housing tended to be lower-income and predominantly home to Black and Latino residents Areas that saw few new units had a higher average median income and more white residents Above: The 10 City Council districts that produced the most new affordable housing last year as the top producers in affordable housing,” said NYHC Executive Director Rachel Fee Bronx Council districts account for five of the 10 areas that saw the greatest number of new units New affordable housing over the last decade Source: New York Housing Conference’s NYC Housing Tracker a series of zoning rule changes to allow for greater residential density citywide—what supporters say will help fill an historic housing shortage and curb rising homelessness It retained minimum parking requirements for new development in certain neighborhoods and reduced the reach of some outer borough zones around public transit stations where extra density would’ve been permitted “We had a concern about the lack of infrastructure,” said Councilmember Banks who was among the lawmakers who voted against the City of Yes plan (thought it ultimately passed the Council by vote of 31-to-20) The proposed removal of parking requirements for new development was particularly unpopular with his constituents describing parts of his district as a “transportation desert,” where residents rely on cars the Brooklyn lawmaker—who took office at the start of 2024—said he was glad to see his district ranked highest when it came to new affordable units last year And we’re hoping for more housing to come and housing that really meets the needs and the desires of the local community,” he said “Our focus now is to make sure that local residents who want to stay in the 42nd Council district get the opportunity to move into some of those new apartments,” Banks added Just how much say councilmembers get when it comes to new housing in their districts is under debate. A Charter Revision Commission convened by Mayor Adams to explore changes to the city’s housing processes released a preliminary report this week on the issues it’s considering including the concept of “member deference”—a custom in which the Council defers to the vote of the local member on land use applications in neighborhoods they represent say it “promotes political accountability in land use matters with communities able to hold local members responsible for land use decisions and critics say member deference fuels the uneven production of affordable units across neighborhoods and stymies the city’s overall efforts to address its housing shortage “Councilmembers frequently use their power to block housing proposals altogether,” the Commission wrote pointing to an analysis that found since 2022 “at least 3,547 units overall have been lost as a result of Council modifications to the scale of housing proposals or the withdrawal of housing proposals in the face of opposition.” “The most significant consequence of member deference is the most difficult to measure: the projects that are never even proposed,” the report notes “If a potential project is in a district where a local member is likely to be hostile to new housing it rarely reaches the filing stage.” The Commission said it will explore ways “to give borough- or city-wide perspectives greater weight in the decision-making process,” when it comes to land use applications that require public review But Councilmember Banks disagrees with this approach “The power when it comes to land use needs to stay within the Council It needs be consistent with…being a bottom-up approach,” that starts with community board review “I believe it’s a power grab by the administration,” he added “This would be a way to kind of basically move around the Council.” The Council has already passed legislation aimed at addressing geographic disparities in housing production. In 2023, lawmakers passed Speaker Adrienne Adams’ Fair Housing Framework which mandates the city come up with a housing plan every five years that sets production “targets” for each of the 59 community districts—though stops short of mandating development have called for greater accountability for districts that don’t meet those goals In its testimony to the Charter Revision Commission NYHC recommended ending the land use public review process with the City Planning Commission “in districts that are not meeting their production targets”—bypassing the City Council vote in those instances “The long time use of member deference even though it’s an informal process has really shifted land use decisions in New York from what used to be something that really took into account more citywide needs Now it’s really about local control,” Fee said And in a city where the recent housing vacancy rate was a dismal 1.4 percent—the lowest availability in more than 50 years— “every single project makes a difference,” she added “Each unit here is somebody’s home and saying yes to housing is giving somebody that opportunity,” Fee said To reach the editor, contact [email protected] Want to republish this story? Find City Limits’ reprint policy here. Take a short anonymous survey to help us deliver content to empower our community. Jeanmarie Evelly, City Limits' Executive Editor since 2021, joined the team in 2018, previously serving as youth program manager, deputy editor, and managing editor. A veteran metro reporter, she covered Astoria and Long Island City for DNAinfo.com and reported for Bronx community papers, including the award-winning Norwood News. She holds degrees from SUNY New Paltz, the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, and an MFA from Queens College. She lives in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations Police were looking for someone who shot and critically injured a 17-year-old boy early Tuesday at a Brooklyn apartment complex that drew widespread attention when a man murdered two of his neighbors over noise complaints less than two years ago Officials said the boy was outside a building at the massive Flatbush Gardens development near Brooklyn and Foster avenues in East Flatbush when he was shot in the head around 12:30 a.m First responders took him to Kings County Hospital where police said he was fighting for his life The NYPD made no immediate arrests in the case former state correction officer Jason Pass in the hallway outside their home in October 2023 The incident went viral after surveillance footage from the hallway was posted online Delille later sued the landlord over her husband’s and son’s deaths alleging she had warned management for months about Pass’ threats and asked them to do more to protect her family said in a statement at the time that the company was committed to making the complex safe and welcoming for residents but declined to comment on the pending lawsuit This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and may be updated. Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected]. An officer shot the man after he held his mother at knifepoint and refused to drop the knife, according to officials. The Five Borough Bike Tour is back. Drivers will want to look out for road closures. Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily. Gothamist is a website about New York City news By: 6:30 am on January 29 Permits have been filed for a five-story residential building at 354 East 28th Street in East Flatbush Located between Clarendon Road and Avenue D the interior lot is near the Newkirk Avenue-Little Haiti subway station Charles Wurzberger of Candor Capital One is listed as the owner behind the applications The proposed 54-foot-tall development will yield 22,419 square feet designated for residential space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 679 square feet The concrete-based structure will also have a 25-foot-long rear yard but no accessory parking NA Design Studio is listed as the architect of record Demolition permits were filed this month for the three-story residential building on the site An estimated completion date has not been announced Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews So sad that single family homes are all being replaced by buildings ga('send', 'event', 'beautyofblock', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Standard_336x280-100-2.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'PCRichards Builders Division', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PCR_Beko_Compact_YIMB_336x280.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'yimby+', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.png', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY® LLC YIMBY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF NIKOLAI FEDAK / NEW YORK YIMBY LLC 2025Anthony Carlo reports from East Flatbush with more on the house fire.EAST FLATBUSH Brooklyn (WABC) -- Firefighters battled early morning flames at a home in Brooklyn as sub-freezing temperatures made the fight even tougher It happened in the East Flatbush section on East 38th Street just before 1 a.m At least five people got out safely but were being treated for minor injuries The FDNY says the agency had difficulty fighting the fire as hydrants were frozen and the water used to tackle the flames quickly turned to ice and coated everything "I believe there were two frozen hydrants on this block so the water they brought in had to come from the next intersection It took a little time and any chance we had to get ahead of the fire we lost it right there," FDNY Deputy Chief James Carney told Eyewitness News Once firefighters were able to establish a water source Houses on either side of the burning home were also evacuated as firefighters spent hours battling the flames in bitter temperatures While the cause of the fire is under investigation officials believe the blaze started in the attic of the home before spreading to all floors At least 13 people were displaced from their homes and are receiving emergency assistance from the Red Cross Sanitation crews arrived to the scene to put salt down on the street that had turned into a sheet of ice * More Brooklyn news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. By: 7:30 am on April 23 The City of New York has completed a $42.3 million flood mitigation project aimed at reducing roadway flooding in East Flatbush and Canarsie Developed in collaboration with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Department of Design and Construction (DDC) the initiative delivers nearly 1,200 green infrastructure installations including 906 infiltration basins and 291 rain gardens The new infrastructure is designed to capture and absorb over 122 million gallons of stormwater annually Notable to the project are new infiltration basins and rain gardens which are designed to resemble curbside tree beds but are engineered to store water and allow it to percolate into the ground 223 new trees were planted across the neighborhoods to improve air quality These upgrades are part of a broader citywide effort under Mayor Adams’ administration which has committed $12.3 billion for stormwater infrastructure through the city’s Ten Year Capital Plan Those basins are never deep enough and end up being filled with litter and weeds By: 6:30 am on October 30 Permits have been filed for a four-story residential building at 2731 Albemarle Road in East Flatbush Located between Rogers Avenue and Nostrand Avenue the lot is near the Beverly Road subway station Morris Lzakaria of Pitkin Group LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications The proposed 50-foot-tall development will yield 5,954 square feet designated for residential space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 661 square feet The steel-based structure will also have a cellar Bahram Tehrani of Best Engineering Technology Design is listed as the architect of record Demolition permits have not been filed yet A four-year-old boy died after showing symptoms of an apparent overdose at the Women In Need shelter in East Flatbush FOX 5 NY's Hayley Fixler reports from the scene where the child's parents are being investigated NEW YORK - A 4-year-old boy has died at a Brooklyn women's shelter and officials are now testing to see if he was exposed to fentanyl but police are questioning the child's parents First responders and a hazmat team were seen lined up outside the shelter in East Flatbush on Tuesday after a four-year-old boy was found unresponsive FOX 5 NY is told that when first responders arrived at the Women In Need shelter the four-year-old boy had symptoms of an apparent overdose.  before they rushed him to Maimonides Medical Center where he later died.  investigators are trying to figure out exactly what happened and who is responsible.  Reports indicate husbands are allowed to visit the shelter during the daytime hours and allegedly both of the boy's parents were found ingesting fentanyl at the time Investigators are also said to have found drug paraphernalia inside of the family shelter FOX 5 NY has learned the medical examiner first needs to determine how the child died.  no charges have been filed against anyone.  A representative from WIN told FOX NY in a statement, "WIN is devastated by the tragic death of this innocent child who came to reside with us in one of our shelters. We are working closely with the NYPD to support their ongoing investigation. We remain committed as ever to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all families that call a WIN shelter home." The Source: This article uses information from police and on-the-ground reporting from Fixler. By: 7:00 am on September 20 Renderings have been released for 2720 Church Avenue, an upcoming 17-story mixed-use development in East Flatbush the 179-foot-tall building is developed by WFS Brothers Realty and designed by INOA Architecture The 49,884-square-foot project will comprise 56 rental units and 550 square feet of community facility space Renderings depict the building with floor-to-ceiling windows on the northern and southern elevations with frontage along Church Avenue and Erasmus Street Separating each story is a meandering frame of architecturally finished concrete that protrudes outward to create terrace space on alternating sides of each level The east and west sides have simple concrete façades Units will average 756 square feet and come with outdoor spaces including outdoor planting beds 2720 Church Avenue is located one block from the Church Avenue subway station Permits were recently approved and construction is imminent This is four miles from the Brooklyn Bridge you could successfully put this anywhere in NYC at this point It feels like INOA should add something new to their bag of tricks The slab dips aren’t for sunken living rooms but just a design trick with the full width balcony shown having yet more sky trees I live in this neighborhood and love the look of this building this can’t be 2720 church ave because that address is a supermarket associated and a different apartment development is being built right next to it and that supermarket is still there and not being shut down Words cannot express how wrong this is for the neighborhood Make it a super-tall and put in Hudson Yards but 56 rental units is the same number as most 6-story buildings The 119 Erasmus st address also mentioned in the article seems to match the redered location better than the Church ave address I bet they bought air rights from 2720 church to get this tall Doesn’t look like it builds all the way to church