Oak Point is a very heavily industrialized, isolated neighborhood in the South Bronx. It juts out into the Harlem River, adjoins a rail-line and is close to the Interstate.

After the jump is a somewhat long-winded press release from opponents of a Bloomberg Administration plan to build a jail in the South Bronx at one of the last undeveloped industrial sites in New York City.

The Punch line: the people want Jobs not a Jail on the site. They will march at 5PM on Friday April 13, 2007 from 976 Longwood Avenue (Take the #6 local to Longwood Ave.) to the Oak Point site.

If you have never been to the South Bronx, this is your chance.

There are complex policy issues at the root of this dispute. Those of you who attended the Drum Major Institute conference on the future of middle class in New York City, may recall there was a stark conflict which was never addressed. In a key speech Adam Friedman, director of the NY Industrial Retention Network showed listeners the importance of industry to NYC residents. Unfortunately, in my view, Mayor Bloomberg has vigorously opposed any industrial development in NYC in favor, usually, for luxury housing -- but in this case -- as a special favor to the people of the South Bronx, a jail. For more on the proposals see Maggie Williams DMI post here. Call Kelly Terry-Septulveda 347-539-1191 for more info.

"Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Horn Disregard Bronx Elected Officials' Opposition to the South Bronx Jail. If you decide to come,
Bronx Delegation and Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus Support Community Opposition; Legal Aid Society Pulls Support for Jail Proposal

Elected representatives and Bronx community members are outraged over the NYC Department of Correction and Mayor Bloomberg's refusal to heed opposition to the proposed jail at Oak Point. The Mayor's office has chosen to ignore numerous requests from Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo and the Office of City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn, to postpone the Scoping Hearing for the Oak Point jail proposal currently scheduled for Monday, April 16th at 6:00pm.

Just over a year ago, the Mayor's office circumvented community involvement and provided Commissioner Horn with $375 million in the Mayor's capitol budget to build a 2,000-bed jail at Oak Point. Since finding out about the proposed jail, the Bronx Borough President, the Bronx Delegation of the City Council, Assemblyman Diaz, State Senator Serrano, and Congressman Serrano, have all publicly opposed it. Additionally, the Black Latino and Asian Caucus of the City Counsel has written a letter of support for Community in Unity, a coalition of over 20, mostly Bronx-based, organizations advocating for alternatives to the proposal.

Last month, in a letter to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the Bronx City Council Delegation clearly stated its opposition to the proposed jail at the Oak Point site in the South Bronx, citing concerns over community involvement and transparency in the planning process. Maria Del Carmon Arroyo, who represents the 17th Council District, which includes the proposed site for the jail, stated: "I, together with the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus of the New York City Council and the Bronx Delegation of the City Council, have taken a position against the building of a jail in the Oak Point section of The Bronx. More emphasis most be placed on the creation of alternatives to incarceration programs to begin to address the City's need to build more jails. I stand with my Community in opposition to the proposed jail at Oak Point."

Driven by a broad agenda for increased investment in community-based alternatives to the criminal justice system, opposition to the Oak Point jail is gaining citywide momentum. According to Council Member Letitia James, a member of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus, "It is offensive that the NYC Department of Correction and Mayor's office would like to build a jail in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, a neighborhood that is rebounding and experiencing a renaissance. The Bloomberg Administration should not be focusing on building more housing for the rich and moving forward expeditiously with major projects that will adversely affect the quality of life in communities of color. Instead, the Bloomberg Administration should be focusing on the needs of the community and engaging in community-based planning in communities of color. The community is crying out for jobs, not jails."

Additionally, support for the jail has eroded among criminal justice and advocacy organizations, which had previously supported Commissioner Horn's proposal. This week, the Legal Aid Society rescinded its support for the South Bronx jail and joined The Bronx Defenders in its opposition. According to Robin Steinberg, the Executive Director of The Bronx Defenders "Under the Bloomberg Administration crime has fallen citywide; this should be an opportunity to have a thoughtful conversation about reducing arrests, closing jails, and downsizing the criminal justice system."

These stances by elected officials and advocates are informed by priorities identified by local community members. Women from La Casita, a women and child residential drug treatment program in the South Bronx, have voiced collective opposition: "We demand that the money which will be spent on a jail in the South Bronx, go to schools in the South Bronx, so our children have a better chance of staying out of jail. We demand more community centers, recreational centers and gardens where kids and families can come together. As members of the South Bronx who want to see our communities growing, we strongly oppose a new jail anywhere in New York City."

Despite unanimous opposition from Bronx elected officials, Mayor Bloomberg has refused to support the self-determination of the Borough in the planning process for the Oak Point site. Majora Carter, the Executive Director of the Sustainable South Bronx, criticized the City for its history of steamrolling development in the South Bronx without community support: "We're people of color who don't make a lot of money, but we know what's best for our community and our city. We have the right to determine our own future, whether that jibes with big developers' back-room deals or not. Lord knows the South Bronx has seen what happens when the City decides what's best for us. Now, the City is forcing this jail forward Robert Moses-style, thwarting public participation at every turn and ignoring the voices of the people it has repeatedly violated throughout history. We, as a community, have a right to determine our own future, and we intend to exercise it."

On April 13th, Community in Unity will march from the Critical Resistance office at 976 Longwood Avenue to the Oak Point site to oppose the jail. A press conference will be held at the Oak Point site. For more information about this event please contact Kellie Terry-Sepulveda at the Point. (347-539-1191).

The City's Scoping Hearing, the precursor to the ULURP process, is currently scheduled for April 16th at 6:00PM at the Police Athletic League, 991 Longwood Avenue in the Bronx.

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