East New York, Brooklyn · Independent Community Journalism
Latest
THANK YOU: Juneteenth NYC celebrates a successful festival & parade — Merchants Association virtual meeting ahead · Thursdays through Nov 19: Opportunity Hub farm stand — 1390 Pennsylvania Ave, 2–5pm · cash, credit, EBT & FMNP · Oct 1: Construction Business & Job Resource Fair — 817 Livonia Ave, 4–7pm · Oct 3: 12th Annual East Brooklyn 5K — Spring Creek Park at Gateway Mall, check-in 8am · Oct 3: Love Your Library Day — New Lots Library, 818 Schenck Ave, 10am–4:30pm · Oct 10: Birding in Highland Park — Upper Highland Park parking lot, 10am · Oct 28: Community Board 5 General Board Meeting — 127 Pennsylvania Ave, 6:30pm · THANK YOU: Juneteenth NYC celebrates a successful festival & parade — Merchants Association virtual meeting ahead · Thursdays through Nov 19: Opportunity Hub farm stand — 1390 Pennsylvania Ave, 2–5pm · cash, credit, EBT & FMNP · Oct 1: Construction Business & Job Resource Fair — 817 Livonia Ave, 4–7pm · Oct 3: 12th Annual East Brooklyn 5K — Spring Creek Park at Gateway Mall, check-in 8am · Oct 3: Love Your Library Day — New Lots Library, 818 Schenck Ave, 10am–4:30pm · Oct 10: Birding in Highland Park — Upper Highland Park parking lot, 10am · Oct 28: Community Board 5 General Board Meeting — 127 Pennsylvania Ave, 6:30pm ·
East New York · Brooklyn
A presenter points to a screen showing 2026 Area Median Income figures as Community Board 5 committee members and residents look on.

Area Median Income figures are presented at the CB5 Land Use and Housing Committee hearing on 17 and 21 Wharton Place. Photo: Deric Johnson

Wharton Place Rezoning Draws Tough Questions on Affordability and Neighborhood Fit at CB5 Hearing

A proposal to rezone 17 and 21 Wharton Place for a seven-story, 73-unit building drew pushback from Community Board 5’s Land Use and Housing Committee over affordability, building size and whether it fits the surrounding neighborhood. Read the story →

Civic

CB5 Brooklyn General Board Meeting — Last Meeting Until September

Wednesday June 24 at 6:30 PM, 127 Pennsylvania Ave. Last chance to raise issues before the summer recess.

Community

Who Supports the People Who Support East New York?

A CB5 meeting focused on the emotional toll carried by people who serve their communities.

Public Safety

Governor and Brooklyn DA Charge 23 Alleged Gang Members — What It Means for East New York

A 176-count case including conspiracy to commit murder and weapons charges is a window into gang enforcement in the 75th Precinct.

Governance

CB5 Members Question Their Power in Cannabis Licensing After Bud City Vote

The East New York cannabis committee voted 6–1 after a tense discussion about community oversight.

Latest Stories

All Stories →
New residential buildings at Innovative Urban Village in East New York, with scaffolding and construction hoists. Housing

East New York’s Innovative Urban Village Opens Its First Affordable Homes

The first phase of Innovative Urban Village has opened on the Christian Cultural Center campus, delivering 385 permanently affordable homes.

The columned front of Brooklyn Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, with two large American flags hanging between its stone pillars.
Politics

Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas Claims Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair, but Courts May Decide Whether It Counts

A late-night virtual vote named the 60th District Assemblywoman party chair. Reformers say it broke a court order, and a judge is weighing contempt.

Volunteers walk past a colorful mural reading “East New York Farms!” above the farm’s garden beds and seedling tables.
Schools & Youth

East New York Farms Youth Grow Food for Their Community

At a half-acre urban farm in Brooklyn, teen interns weed garlic beds, make compost and stock a farmers’ market with crops familiar to the neighborhood’s immigrant families.

Yellow caution tape and orange traffic cones surround a patch of uprooted ground beside a chain-link fence at the Cypress Hills Houses.
Public Housing

NYCHA Worker Leighton Brown Killed by Falling Tree at Cypress Hills Houses

The 56-year-old died after a tree struck him in an East New York parking lot Saturday; residents remember his service to the development.

Organizer Keron Alleyne speaks into a megaphone while giving a thumbs up in front of the Black Inventors Parade banner during the fifth annual Black Inventors Youth Parade.
Education

“Who Invented That? We Invented That”: East New York Youth Parade Celebrates Black Innovation

Students learned that Black innovation is not only history, it is part of their future.

A man raises both hands while worshipping in the rain during the gospel and jazz finale of the East New York Concert + Wellness Series.
Community

More Than a Concert: East New York’s Four-Day Wellness Series Brings Music, Resources and Community Together

Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas and DJ Keith Watkins’ annual East New York Concert + Wellness Series returned for its fourth year with four days of music, health screenings, food vendors and community resources.

Tenants and organizers in blue HOPE T-shirts stand outside 2342 Atlantic Avenue behind a banner reading “When we fight! We win!” as a speaker addresses the crowd through a bullhorn.
Housing

A Broken Front Door, a Worst-Landlord Ranking, and Tenants Who Refuse to Leave

Residents of 2342 Atlantic Ave. rally with Council Member Sandy Nurse and Deputy Borough President Kim Council, demanding HPD action against a landlord with 1,148 lifetime violations across the property.

A tenant in a leopard-print mesh jersey holds a hand-lettered pink sign reading “Fix 255 Pennsylvania” outside the building during the rally.
Housing

“Say his name”: East New York tenants and Council Member Chris Banks put a landlord on notice at 255 Pennsylvania Avenue

About 60 residents of a 24-unit rent-stabilized building — some there more than 30 years — say Plaza Management fixes the surface and leaves the cause. One tenant who helped organize says the response was a 14-day eviction notice.

A demonstrator holds a hand-lettered list of Democratic officials opposing the Kings County Democratic Party rules package on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall
Politics

Brooklyn’s Democratic Rules Change Passed. The Court Fight and Chair Vote Come Next.

A closed vote in Mill Basin expanded the party’s executive committee from 42 to 68 members “by narrow margins.” Reformers backing Julio Peña III said they would refile suit Wednesday morning.

A large crowd of Brooklyn Democrats and supporters stands on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall holding hand-lettered signs including “Respect the Voters,” “Honor the Election,” and “Back Off Bichotte Hermelyn.”
Politics

Brooklyn Democrats Move to Reshape Their Own Rules Tonight — What It Means for East New York

The Kings County Democratic Party’s executive committee votes tonight on a 10-amendment package that would expand its own membership to more than 68 voting members before this fall’s chair election.

Family members hold the new Fat Boys Avenue street sign at the co-naming ceremony on Schenck Avenue in East New York
Arts & Culture

Fat Boys Avenue, Down by Law

East New York co-names the block where three teenagers became hip-hop history. Only one of them lived to see it.

Family, friends and neighbors gather outside Essex Terrace after the Virginia Burroughs Way co-naming ceremony
Community

Fifty Years on One Block: How Virginia Burroughs Became a Street

A tenants association president who served half a century at Essex Terrace is now the name at Linwood Street and Hegeman Avenue.

A resident holds a Hire East NY sign at a Broadway Junction local hiring rally
Jobs & Transit

Only 13 Nearby Residents Hired on $400 Million Broadway Junction Project, Local Officials Say

Elected officials, community leaders and residents rallied outside Broadway Junction to demand increased neighborhood hiring on the MTA’s major accessibility project.

New York City Council Deputy Leader Chris Banks speaks as Majority Whip Kamillah M. Hanks looks on at City Hall
Public Housing

Banks Calls for New NYCHA Leadership and Warns Against Public Housing Privatization

The East New York council member said funding alone will not solve NYCHA’s problems and argued that traditional public housing must be preserved.

Dominique Alexandre and District 37 interns staffing a constituent pop-up table in Brooklyn
Civic

Constituent Pop Ups Pull Up Across BKLYN’s 37th District

Director of Community Engagement Dominique Alexandre hit the streets to explain how Council Member Sandy Nurse’s office helps residents navigate housing, sanitation, and city bureaucracy.

Captain Lori Perez speaking at a Community Board 5 meeting in East New York
Youth Strategies

“No Reason for These Takeovers”: New NYPD Youth Commander Pitches a Reset at East New York’s Community Hub

Captain Lori Perez told CB5 she wants to restore the 127 Pennsylvania Avenue center and bring youth programming back so young people have somewhere real to go.

CB5 Chair Alice Lowman speaking at a Community Board 5 meeting
Civic

“No Attendance, You Won’t Be on the Board”: CB5 Chair Alice Lowman Draws a Line on Non-Attendance and Borough Hall’s Reversal

At CB5’s last general board meeting of the session, Chair Alice Lowman warned that attendance, committee work, and leadership roles would shape who remains active on the board in September.

Assemblymember Nikki Lucas speaking at a Community Board 5 meeting
Civic

Nikki Lucas Connects Albany Budget Fights to East New York’s Housing, Schools and Jobs

At Community Board 5’s final meeting of the session, Assemblymember Nikki Lucas walked residents through how state budget and legislative fights are landing directly in East New York, Starrett City and Brownsville.

Council Member Sandy Nurse speaking at the Community Board 5 meeting in East New York
Housing

Housing, Wealth, and Who Gets to Stay in East New York

At CB5’s final meeting of the season, Sandy Nurse pressed for housing vouchers, NYCHA repairs, and homeownership pathways while East New York’s next Assembly member, Christian Celeste Tate, watched from the audience.

Christian Celeste Tate at a Community Board 5 Brooklyn committee meeting
Election Results

Celeste Tate Defeats Dilan in AD54 — What It Means for East New York

Christian Celeste Tate unseated nine-year incumbent Erik Dilan 62–38 in the Assembly District 54 Democratic primary. Here is what changes for Bushwick, Cypress Hills, and East New York.

VOTE
Civic

Primary Election Day Is Today — Everything East New York Needs to Vote

Polls open until 9 PM. The AD54 race covers East New York directly. Find your poll site, know your ballot.

CB5
General Board
Meeting
Civic

CB5 Brooklyn General Board Meeting — Last Meeting Until September

Wednesday June 24 at 6:30 PM, 127 Pennsylvania Ave. Last chance to raise issues before the summer recess.

HEALTH
UPDATE
Health

Essential Plan Deadline Extended to August 30 — What You Need to Do

Coverage for members at 200–250% FPL extended from June 30 to August 30. Here is what to do now.

127 Pennsylvania Avenue, Community Board 5 Brooklyn
Civic

CB5 Brooklyn Meets This Wednesday — Last Meeting Until September

The General Board meeting is June 24 at 6:30 PM at 127 Pennsylvania Ave. This is the last CB5 meeting before the summer recess. Here is the full committee calendar and how to show up.

AMI
Housing

The Number That Decides Who Gets Affordable Housing — and Why It Doesn't Reflect East New York

AMI is set using income data from Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam Counties. Not East New York. Here is why that matters for every housing lottery in the neighborhood.

Juneteenth NYC 2026 parade East New York
Community

East New York Filled the Streets for Juneteenth NYC 2026

Hundreds turned out Saturday for the parade and festival, marching from Gotham Health to Gershwin Park for live performances, a fashion show, and community.

CM Sandy Nurse District 37
Housing

Sandy Nurse Says No Budget Without CityFHEPS Expansion. East New York Is Why.

CM Sandy Nurse is refusing to vote for any budget without rental voucher expansion. June 30 deadline. Here is what it means for East New York tenants.

MTA bus New York City
Civic

The City Is Debating Free Buses and Cheaper Fares. Here’s What It Means for East New York.

The B20 and B83 run on Pennsylvania Avenue every day. The FY2027 budget fight over Fair Fares and free buses lands directly on those stops.

NYPD 75th Precinct East New York
Public Safety

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for the Murder of Susan Leyden on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Susan Leyden, 68, was last seen entering an apartment on Pennsylvania Avenue in February 2022. Harvey Marcelin, 88, was sentenced to life without parole on June 10, 2026.

Letters to the Editor

Read Letters →

From the Archive

Substack →

Community Events

All Events →
Oct1
Jobs · Business

Construction Business and Job Resource Fair

4–7 p.m. · 817 Livonia Ave
Oct3
Sports · Community

12th Annual East Brooklyn 5K

Check-in 8 a.m. · Spring Creek Park at Gateway Mall
Oct3
Library · Family

Love Your Library Day at New Lots

10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. · 818 Schenck Ave
Oct10
Outdoors · All Ages

Birding in Highland Park

10 a.m. · Upper Highland Park parking lot

Independent Journalism for East New York

The East New York Times is a community-first publication dedicated to covering the people, decisions, and events that shape life in East New York, Brooklyn. We answer to our community — not corporations, not advertisers, not political parties.

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Every article published by East New York Times — civic coverage, community voices, and neighborhood news.

Area Median Income figures presented at a Community Board 5 committee hearing Housing

Wharton Place Rezoning Draws Tough Questions on Affordability and Neighborhood Fit at CB5 Hearing

A proposal to rezone 17 and 21 Wharton Place for a seven-story, 73-unit building drew pushback from Community Board 5’s Land Use and Housing Committee over affordability, building size and whether it fits the surrounding neighborhood.

Innovative Urban Village residential buildings in East New York Housing

East New York’s Innovative Urban Village Opens Its First Affordable Homes

The first phase of Innovative Urban Village has opened on the Christian Cultural Center campus in East New York, delivering 385 permanently affordable homes. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and project partners marked the opening last week.

Dozens of runners, volunteers and families wearing medals and Rooted in East New York T-shirts wave for a group photo in Highland Park.
Community

Rooted in East New York 5K Supports Scholarships and Community Programs

Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation’s junior board hosted its second annual 5K to fund scholarships for East New York youth.

The columned front of Brooklyn Borough Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, with two large American flags hanging between its stone pillars.
Politics

Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas Claims Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair, but Courts May Decide Whether It Counts

A late-night virtual vote named the 60th District Assemblywoman party chair. Reformers say it broke a court order, and a judge is weighing contempt.

Volunteers walk past a colorful mural reading “East New York Farms!” above the farm’s garden beds and seedling tables.
Schools & Youth

East New York Farms Youth Grow Food for Their Community

At a half-acre urban farm in Brooklyn, teen interns weed garlic beds, make compost and stock a farmers’ market with crops familiar to the neighborhood’s immigrant families.

Yellow caution tape and orange traffic cones surround a patch of uprooted ground beside a chain-link fence at the Cypress Hills Houses.
Public Housing

NYCHA Worker Leighton Brown Killed by Falling Tree at Cypress Hills Houses

The 56-year-old died after a tree struck him in an East New York parking lot Saturday; residents remember his service to the development.

Organizer Keron Alleyne speaks into a megaphone while giving a thumbs up in front of the Black Inventors Parade banner during the fifth annual Black Inventors Youth Parade.
Education

“Who Invented That? We Invented That”: East New York Youth Parade Celebrates Black Innovation

Students learned that Black innovation is not only history, it is part of their future.

A man raises both hands while worshipping in the rain during the gospel and jazz finale of the East New York Concert + Wellness Series.
Community

More Than a Concert: East New York’s Four-Day Wellness Series Brings Music, Resources and Community Together

Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas and DJ Keith Watkins’ annual East New York Concert + Wellness Series returned for its fourth year with four days of music, health screenings, food vendors and community resources.

Tenants and organizers in blue HOPE T-shirts rally outside 2342 Atlantic Avenue in Cypress Hills behind a banner reading “When we fight! We win!”
Housing

A Broken Front Door, a Worst-Landlord Ranking, and Tenants Who Refuse to Leave

Residents of 2342 Atlantic Ave. rally with Council Member Sandy Nurse and Deputy Borough President Kim Council, demanding HPD action against a landlord with 1,148 lifetime violations across the property.

A tenant holds a hand-lettered pink sign reading “Fix 255 Pennsylvania” outside 255 Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York
Housing

“Say his name”: East New York tenants and Council Member Chris Banks put a landlord on notice at 255 Pennsylvania Avenue

About 60 residents of a 24-unit rent-stabilized building — some there more than 30 years — say Plaza Management fixes the surface and leaves the cause. One tenant who helped organize says the response was a 14-day eviction notice.

A demonstrator holds a hand-lettered list of Democratic officials opposing the Kings County Democratic Party rules package on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall
Politics

Brooklyn’s Democratic Rules Change Passed. The Court Fight and Chair Vote Come Next.

A closed vote in Mill Basin expanded the party’s executive committee from 42 to 68 members “by narrow margins.” Reformers backing Julio Peña III said they would refile suit Wednesday morning.

A large crowd of Brooklyn Democrats and supporters stands on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall holding hand-lettered signs including “Respect the Voters,” “Honor the Election,” and “Back Off Bichotte Hermelyn.”
Politics

Brooklyn Democrats Move to Reshape Their Own Rules Tonight — What It Means for East New York

The Kings County Democratic Party’s executive committee votes tonight on a 10-amendment package that would expand its own membership before this fall’s chair election.

Family members hold the new Fat Boys Avenue street sign at the co-naming ceremony on Schenck Avenue in East New York
Arts & Culture

Fat Boys Avenue, Down by Law

East New York co-names the block where three teenagers became hip-hop history. Only one of them lived to see it.

Family, friends and neighbors gather outside Essex Terrace after the Virginia Burroughs Way co-naming ceremony
Community

Fifty Years on One Block: How Virginia Burroughs Became a Street

A tenants association president who served half a century at Essex Terrace is now the name at Linwood Street and Hegeman Avenue.

Reader response Who answers? Letter to the Editor

The Real NYCHA Story Is Not Public vs. Private. It’s Who Answers When the Ceiling Comes Down.

A policy writer responds to our coverage of Councilmember Chris Banks’s warning on PACT and focuses the debate on enforceable accountability.

A resident holds a Hire East NY sign at a Broadway Junction local hiring rally
Jobs & Transit

Only 13 Nearby Residents Hired on $400 Million Broadway Junction Project, Local Officials Say

Elected officials, community leaders and residents rallied outside Broadway Junction to demand increased neighborhood hiring on the MTA’s major accessibility project.

New York City Council Deputy Leader Chris Banks speaks as Majority Whip Kamillah M. Hanks looks on at City Hall
Public Housing

Banks Calls for New NYCHA Leadership and Warns Against Public Housing Privatization

The East New York council member said funding alone will not solve NYCHA’s problems and argued that traditional public housing must be preserved.

Dominique Alexandre and District 37 interns staffing a constituent pop-up table in Brooklyn
Civic

Constituent Pop Ups Pull Up Across BKLYN’s 37th District

Director of Community Engagement Dominique Alexandre hit the streets to explain how Council Member Sandy Nurse’s office helps residents navigate housing, sanitation, and city bureaucracy.

Captain Lori Perez speaking at a Community Board 5 meeting in East New York
Youth Strategies

“No Reason for These Takeovers”: New NYPD Youth Commander Pitches a Reset at East New York’s Community Hub

Captain Lori Perez told CB5 she wants to restore the 127 Pennsylvania Avenue center and bring youth programming back so young people have somewhere real to go.

CB5 Chair Alice Lowman speaking at a Community Board 5 meeting
Civic

“No Attendance, You Won’t Be on the Board”: CB5 Chair Alice Lowman Draws a Line on Non-Attendance and Borough Hall’s Reversal

At CB5’s last general board meeting of the session, Chair Alice Lowman warned that attendance, committee work, and leadership roles would shape who remains active on the board in September.

Assemblymember Nikki Lucas speaking at a Community Board 5 meeting
Civic

Nikki Lucas Connects Albany Budget Fights to East New York’s Housing, Schools and Jobs

At Community Board 5’s final meeting of the session, Assemblymember Nikki Lucas walked residents through how state budget and legislative fights are landing directly in East New York, Starrett City and Brownsville.

Christian Celeste Tate at a Community Board 5 Brooklyn committee meeting
Election Results

Celeste Tate Defeats Dilan in AD54 — What It Means for East New York

Christian Celeste Tate unseated nine-year incumbent Erik Dilan 62–38 in the Assembly District 54 Democratic primary. Here is what changes for Bushwick, Cypress Hills, and East New York.

CM Chris Banks at NYC Council EHV hearing
Housing

NYCHA Has Placed 14 Families. Nearly 5,100 Are Still Waiting.

At today’s City Council hearing, NYCHA admitted it has moved just 14 families while nearly 5,100 face losing their housing assistance by November.

Pennsylvania Avenue East New York Brooklyn
Public Safety

Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Life Without Parole for the Murder of Susan Leyden on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Harvey Marcelin, 88, was sentenced to life without parole for the 2022 murder of Susan Leyden on Pennsylvania Avenue. He had been convicted of murder twice before.

Gotham Health East New York, 2094 Pitkin Avenue
Health

Your Health Coverage May Change July 1. Here's What East New York Residents Need to Do Right Now.

About 450,000 New Yorkers lose Essential Plan eligibility July 1. The deadline to avoid a gap is today.

Boarded up building East New York
Housing

While Families Fight to Keep Their Vouchers, the City Just Launched a Program to Save the Buildings They Live In

HPD launched the Supportive Preservation Program the same week 5,100 NYCHA families faced losing their Emergency Housing Vouchers. Two agencies, two programs, one crisis.

Broadway Junction East New York transit
Civic

The City Is Debating Free Buses and Cheaper Fares. Here’s What It Means for East New York.

The B20 and B83 run on Pennsylvania Avenue every day. The FY2027 budget fight over Fair Fares and free buses lands directly on those stops.

John P. White benefit tournament at Grace Playground, East New York
Sports

The Knicks Brought $202 Million to New York. Will Any of It Reach East New York?

The Knicks are champions for the first time in 53 years. East New York celebrated with the rest of the city — loud, proud, and all the way in.

East New York food distribution
Food Security

SNAP Update: Veterans, Homeless Residents, and Former Foster Youth Now Subject to Work Rules

Groups previously protected from SNAP work rules lost their automatic exemption in March. Here's what they need to do now.

Medicaid work rules East New York
Health

What New York Is Doing to Protect ENY Residents From Medicaid Work Rules

Part 2: New York got more time. Exemptions are broad. ENY may qualify for the high unemployment exception. Your full action checklist.

FDNY ambulance on an East New York street
Health

New Medicaid Work Rules Could Cut Off Health Care for East New York Residents

Starting in 2027, adults on Medicaid must prove they're working — or risk losing coverage over paperwork. Part 1 of a 2-part series.

Sheila E. at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 2026
Arts & Culture

Opening Night at BRIC: Sheila E., Leon Knight, and DJ Spinna Bring Brooklyn Together

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! opened its 2026 season with a free outdoor night of funk, rock, soul, and R&B at the Lena Horne Bandshell.

P.S. 171 Highland Park Community School
Education

June Regents Are Coming — Here's What East New York Families Need to Know

Exam dates, school closures, and rating days for District 19 students. Three no-school days in June families need to plan around now.

CB5 Cannabis Committee Meeting
Governance

Unsupported Youth Marijuana Claim Shapes CB5 Cannabis Event Debate

Without a quorum, CB5's cannabis committee moved toward a summer fair after an unsupported claim about youth marijuana use raised questions about evidence and influence in the planning.

SNAP food distribution East New York
Breaking · Food Security

Your Food Stamps Could Be Cut Off Tomorrow — East New York, Read This Now

Federal work requirements take effect June 1. 43,500 NYC residents at risk of losing SNAP benefits starting Monday. Here's what to do before it's too late.

Sandy Nurse town hall
Civic

"Super Broken": Residents Confront City Agencies at Sandy Nurse's Town Hall

Attendees raised concerns about dumping, traffic safety, delayed street repairs and a complaint system many said is failing their neighborhoods.

P.S. 007 Abraham Lincoln School, East New York
Education

East New York Families May Be Left Behind in the First Wave of 2-K

CB5 members raised concerns about District 19's absence from the city's initial 2-K rollout, uncertainty around Head Start after June 30.

Community wellness support in East New York
Community

Who Supports the People Who Support East New York?

A CB5 Aging, Health and Social Services Committee meeting focused on the emotional toll carried by community service workers.

Bar Fiesta Restaurant, Fulton Street ENY
Public Safety

CB5 Grapples With Limits of Its Power in Split Restaurant License Debate

Residents' complaints, a business owner's distress, and the limits of community board authority collided at a tense Public Safety Committee meeting.

Bud City Cannabis, East New York
Governance

CB5 Members Question Their Power in Cannabis Licensing After Bud City Renewal Vote

The East New York cannabis committee voted 6–1 to support the Bud City dispensary renewal after a tense discussion about community engagement.

More stories coming soon.
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Letters to the Editor

Reader arguments and responses on matters of local concern, published with verified authorship and light editing for length and clarity.

East New York Times welcomes letters from readers. Send submissions to info@eastnewyorktimes.com.

Community Events

Find upcoming events, public meetings, school activities, workshops, resource fairs, and community programs happening in East New York. Events are listed by date, with ongoing programs following the dated listings. This page focuses on events that directly serve East New York residents.

Do you have an event to share? Email info@eastnewyorktimes.com.

Upcoming Events

Oct24
10:30 AM – 12:00 PMNew Lots Library, 818 Schenck Ave, Brooklyn

Brainy Babies

Stories and activities designed to encourage brain development and early learning.

Date
Saturday, October 24
Organizer
Brooklyn Public Library
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
Families with young children
Register / Contact
Register / info
Oct27
11:00 AM – 1:00 PMRestoration Plaza, Brooklyn

Free Brooklyn Career Fair

Explore opportunities in security, government, union and skilled-trade career pathways, and connect with workforce training and job-placement programs. Brooklyn Public Library offers free résumé reviews for attendees.

Date
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
NYC job seekers
Oct27
11:00 AM – 4:00 PMHighland Park Community Garden

Bookmobile at Highland Park Community Garden

Library staff and the Bookmobile will bring books and library services to Highland Park Community Garden.

Date
Tuesday, October 27
Organizer
Brooklyn Public Library and Arlington Library staff
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
Kids, adults, and families
Register / Contact
Register / info
Oct28
6:30 PM127 Pennsylvania Ave, 3rd Fl

Brooklyn Community Board 5 General Board Meeting

The full board meeting where residents can hear agency updates, community presentations, and votes affecting the district. The meeting is on the third floor at 127 Pennsylvania Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11207.

Date
Wednesday, October 28
Organizer
Brooklyn Community Board 5
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
Open to the public
Register / Contact
Register / info
Oct28
Application deadline 11:59 PMApply online

NYC Civic Engagement Commission: The People’s Money Project-Implementation Opportunity

The NYC Civic Engagement Commission is seeking community-based organizations to implement 20 capital-expense projects selected through Cycle 4 of The People’s Money, New York City’s participatory-budgeting process. Selected organizations may receive between $165,000 and $235,000 to implement projects.

Deadline
Wednesday, October 28, at 11:59 p.m.
Organizer
NYC Civic Engagement Commission
Funding
$165,000 to $235,000 per project
Who it’s for
NYC-based registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits or MWBEs with strong community ties and experience providing community-based programs and services in Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity neighborhoods
Oct30
5:30–8 p.m.Highland Park, East Causeway

Haunted Highland

Join Council Member Sandy Nurse and the ¡OYE! Group for a free outdoor haunted trail at Highland Park.

Date
Friday, October 30, 2026
Organizer
Council Member Sandy Nurse and the ¡OYE! Group
Cost
Free
Oct31
1–6 p.m.Vermont Street between Linden Boulevard and Stanley Avenue

Trunk or Treat

Council Member Chris Banks, in partnership with Craig Ellis, presents Trunk or Treat. Enjoy spooky treats, sweet surprises, and special offers.

Date
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Organizer
Council Member Chris Banks, in partnership with Craig Ellis
More information
Office of Council Member Banks: (718) 649-9495
NowOpen
Free · OngoingMobile app, web, phone, or X

Stay Informed with Notify NYC

Sign up for the City of New York’s free emergency communications program to get weather and other emergency notifications. Register through the Notify NYC mobile app, online, by calling 311, or by following @NotifyNYC on X.

Date
Ongoing
Organizer
City of New York
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
All New Yorkers
Register / Contact
Notify NYC app · NYC.gov/NotifyNYC · Call 311 · @NotifyNYC on X
Accessibility
Video Relay Service: 212-639-9675 · TTY: 212-504-4115
NowOpen
OngoingBrooklyn Community Board 5

Report Weather-Related Neighborhood Issues to Brooklyn Community Board 5

First file a 311 complaint for weather-related problems on your block or elsewhere in the community. Then email the 311 complaint number to Melinda Perkins at Brooklyn Community Board 5 with the subject line “Weather CB5.”

Date
Ongoing
Organizer
Brooklyn Community Board 5
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
Community Board 5 residents
Register / Contact
Mperkins@cb.nyc.gov · Subject: Weather CB5
EveryThu
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM1390 Pennsylvania Ave

Opportunity Hub Weekly Farm Stand

The Opportunity Hub farm stand runs every Thursday through November 19 at 1390 Pennsylvania Avenue, near the ice cream truck and the B83 stop. Fresh produce with cash, credit, EBT, and FMNP all accepted.

Date
Thursdays through November 19
Organizer
Opportunity Hub
Cost
Produce for purchase; cash, credit, EBT, and FMNP accepted
Who it’s for
All residents
Register / Contact
No registration needed
ThruNov
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Through Nov 17Outside Arlington Library

Arlington Library Bookmobile Service

While the Arlington Library is closed for renovation, a bookmobile parks outside the library through November 17, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., keeping books and library services within reach for the neighborhood.

Date
Through November 17
Organizer
Arlington Library
Cost
Free
Who it’s for
Library patrons of all ages
Register / Contact
No registration needed
EveryM/W
Mondays & WednesdaysCypress Hills Community Center

Arlington Library Programs at Cypress Hills Community Center

The Arlington Library team sets up at the Cypress Hills Community Center on Mondays and Wednesdays, offering content creation, 3D printing, digital literacy, and podcasting, plus monthly community outreach.

Date
Mondays and Wednesdays
Organizer
Arlington Library
Cost
Not listed
Who it’s for
Community members
Register / Contact
Not listed
EveryThu
ThursdaysCypress Senior Center

Arlington Library Computer Classes at Cypress Senior Center

The Arlington Library team is at the Cypress Senior Center on Thursdays for computer-based classes, along with monthly tabling to connect seniors with library services.

Date
Thursdays
Organizer
Arlington Library
Cost
Not listed
Who it’s for
Seniors
Register / Contact
Not listed
NowOpen
New LocationNew Hope Worship Center, Livonia Ave

People’s Kitchen at New Hope Worship Center

The People’s Kitchen now operates out of the New Hope Worship Center on Livonia Avenue. Neighbors who rely on the meal program can find it at its new home.

Date
Ongoing
Organizer
People’s Kitchen
Cost
Not listed
Who it’s for
Neighbors who rely on the meal program
Register / Contact
Not listed

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