In Sunset Park rezoning, questions surface over efforts to engage immigrant neighbors
Members of Sunset Park’s immigrant community expressed concern on Monday that not enough was being done to engage non-English speakers in a redevelopment process that has broad implications for one of New York City’s most diverse neighborhoods, citing a lack of meetings and literature in their native languages.
Residents and members of Community Board 7’s Immigration Committee challenged the board to do more to bring non-English speakers into the discussion of the Industry City rezoning, a proposal that seeks to transform the waterfront industrial site into an “innovation economy” hub characterized by makers, creatives, retailers and academic spaces.
The board encompasses both Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace, where more than 47 percent of residents are foreign-born, and 48 percent identify as having limited English proficiency. Seventy-three percent identified as Asian or Hispanic, according to data from the New York City Planning Department.