Mott Haven leaders to testify at Bronx Borough President hearing over controversial jail plan

BRONX, NY (06/24/2019) (readMedia)-- Bronx, NY - Mott Haven community leaders will testify at Borough President Diaz's hearing over The City's controversial plan to put a massive new jail in Mott Haven--a low-income community of color. Diaz will question officials from the de Blasio Administration and hear from concerned community members.

Last month, Community Board 1 voted unanimously against the proposed jail. And Mott Haven leaders have since filed a suit against the City, saying the de Blasio Administration chose the proposed site for political expediency while ignoring the impact on Mott Haven -- a community that resides in the poorest congressional district in the nation.

Opponents argue that the jail would prevent local organizations from using the proposed space to build a mixed income housing development that would help revitalize the Mott Haven community. They've also expressed public safety concerns, and called for the new Bronx jail to be sited near the Bronx courthouse instead. A site that would truly fulfill the recommendations of the City's own Lippman commission which was formed in order to best plan for the borough based jail system.