The Brooklyn Community Board 11 (CB11) held a full council meeting on the evening of February 12 at the Cypress Hills Community Center to vote and express support for the resolution passed by its planning and zoning subcommittee on January 22. CB11 reiterated its opposition to the citywide Temporary Hotel Text Amendment as early as 2021, believing that the related provisions could create loopholes that allow publicly funded temporary developments to bypass community input. Therefore, they demanded that any temporary accommodation projects approved without valid contracts must reapply for special permission from the City Planning Commission (CPC) and undergo public review.
During the public comment period, residents mentioned appealing against stormwater engineering in the community and also filed a second appeal regarding asbestos inspection and related procedural issues to the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA). They questioned the developer’s failure to complete necessary testing and document requirements. The case has been accepted and will be reviewed by the community board in the future. CB11 Vice-Chair Ross Brady responded that the application will be forwarded to the planning and zoning subcommittee for discussion before being presented at the full council meeting.
Mr. Ma, representing BSA Case No. 2025-55-A (stormwater engineering), emphasized that the appeal is not based on emotions or opposition to vulnerable groups, but on procedural and zoning compliance, including clarity of Department of Buildings (DOB) documents on project use classification, comprehensive explanation of key application data regarding zoning compliance, support for assumptions on public use and government involvement, and whether the community and approving authorities have full information before making decisions. He stressed that BSA will conduct a lawful review rather than an emotional ruling.
Several elected officials’ representatives spoke at the meeting. Sophia Liu, Chief of Staff for State Senator Chen Xueli’s office, expressed gratitude for the residents’ trust and allowing their team to assist in drafting relevant appeal documents, urging the committee to support the case. A representative from Assemblyman Corton’s office stated they would continue monitoring the review process and policy response to ensure thorough scrutiny of related projects.
Brady reiterated the previous recommendations of the planning and zoning subcommittee: if temporary accommodation projects lack valid government contract support, they should apply for special permission from the City Planning Commission and undergo public review. This proposal has been recorded in the full council meeting’s records. The motion was ultimately passed with support from the entire council.