Legislators Collected Over 1,000 Signatures Opposing Bragg Street Halfway House

Local lawmakers announced Tuesday that they had collected more than 1,000 of signatures opposing a proposed halfway house on Bragg Street.

Community leaders were blindsided in December when they received a letter announcing that a Washington state-based contractor had applied to build a facility for convicted felons in a former synagogue at 2261 Bragg Street. Politicians representing the area argued the facility is too close to schools, playgrounds, and senior centers and began an effort to block the application from being accepted by the Bureau of Prisons.

“The residents and organizations of the neighborhood have spoken, and continue to speak by sending in letters of opposition and signing the online petitions that I and my colleagues posted,” Weinstein said in a press release sent by her office. “We’re hoping this clear demonstration of community opposition convinces the Federal Bureau of Prisons to reject the Rever Corporation’s ill-conceived proposal for this site.”

The coalition of community representatives, including  Weinstein, Senator Roxanne Persaud, Councilman Alan Maisel, Borough President Eric Adams, and former councilman Lew Fidler, immediately began encouraging constituents to write to the Bureau of Prisons to oppose the facility. The elected officials also created petitions against the site for neighbors to sign.

The letters and signatures have also been sent to Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand as well as Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, according to Weinstein’s press release.

Weinstein warned that it is unclear when the Bureau of Prisons will decide whether to accept of reject the application and encouraged neighbors to keep sending letters.

The letters can be mailed to:

Kurtina Edwards, Contract Officer
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street, NW, Room 5005
Washington, DC 20534