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Protesters Call on East New York Councilman to Return Developer Donations

By Gwynne Hogan | April 7, 2016 3:58pm
 They marched in Bushwick Thursday waving $100 bills emblazoned with Councilman Rafael Espinal's face.
Espinal Rally Bushwick
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BUSHWICK — Protesters marched to the local councilman's office Thursday, demanding the politician return around $7,000 in donations he'd received from developers before voting for a controversial proposal to rezone a 190-block radius East New York.

Waving homemade $100 bills emblazoned with Councilman Rafael Espinal's face, the group of around two dozen protesters chanted "Espinal, escucha estamos en la lucha! ["Espinal, listen, we're in the fight]."

Espinal has received around $7,000 from landowners, real estate lawyers and developers in this years campaign season, according to data from the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

In particular, advocates highlighted two $500 donations the politician took last year from the Bluestone Group, the owners of Arlington Village, a $30 million, 210-unit development that the owners could be allowed to redevelop if the rezoning is approved, advocates say.

"The developers are obviously trying to impact the rezoning," said Renata Pumarol, an organizer at New York Communities for Change, the housing and workers advocacy group behind Thursday's rally. 

"If the plan gets passed as it stands, they stand to make millions and millions," said Pumarol, admitting that the donations were relatively small in the scheme of things. Still the councilman should send them back, she said.

The contributions represent about 25 percent of donations Espinal received this election season. The councilman denied being swayed by the money.

“Developers have no influence on my negotiations surrounding the rezoning — the only people influencing me are those who live in the community today — my neighbors, small business owners, and local community groups,” Espinal said, though he didn't say whether or not he would return the cash.

In late February, the City's Planning Commission approved the 190-block rezoning that includes parcels of private and public land where the Department of Housing and Preservation has committed to funding 1,200 units of affordable housing for households earning up to $77,670.

The City Council has to vote on the plan by mid April and Espinal's perspective will be a key factor in how the voting goes.

Critics of the plan contend that too few of those units will be attainable for East New York families, where the average income is around $35,000. As the plan stands, 25 percent of the units built will be for families making below $35,000 annually. 

Advocates gathered Thursday argued that the plan should include a minimum of 50 percent of the units.

After scattering the homemade $100 bills across the sidewalk, the small group of protesters soon dissipated chanting, "We'll be back," as they walked away. 

"I'm tired of seeing people leave," said East New Yorker Lorna Blake, 57, a resident of the neighborhood for 21 years, pledging she'd be return to Espinal's office next week to continue demand he return the funds and pledge to vote against the plan if it's not seriously revamped.

"I don't care if I'm arrested," she said. "I'm here to let him know, we're not going to stand here and let him sell us out."