Meet Sarah Crean, Ditmas Park Corner’s New Editor

We are delighted to welcome neighbor Sarah Crean to the Corner Media team.

A longtime Ditmas Park resident, Sarah brings a wealth of experience to the table. She has been covering local environmental and sustainability issues since 2009, and helped to create and edit the New York Environment Report. Sarah was one of the first reporters in New York to cover the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on the city’s upstate water supply.

She has written extensively for the Gotham Gazette, as well as MetroFocus, the New York Times’ Green Blog, City Limits, AdaptNY, and Progressive Planning Magazine.

Previously, Sarah worked in the industrial development and retention field for 11 years, and served as Executive Director of the Garment Industry Development Corp and Deputy Director of the NY Industrial Retention Network. She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University.

You moved to Albemarle Road in 2003. What brought you to the neighborhood? What do you like best about living here?

I was initially drawn to the area by its beauty — the tall trees, amazing architecture, and quiet side streets. I love so many things about this area — the incredible diversity of the people, the history of Flatbush, our proximity to Prospect Park, and the fact that this feels very much like a true community. My grandparents were married on Church Avenue, at Holy Cross Church, in 1918, and I have many family members who lived in the area, so I feel a real connection to the greater Flatbush community.

Your background is in Urban Planning and community service — what do you consider the major issues that concern our neighborhoods?

I think the availability and quality of affordable housing is going to be an ongoing critical issue for our neighborhoods, just as it is throughout the city. Who will get to stay here? Who will be pushed out? How exactly will gentrification play out? Another issue that concerns me is car and truck traffic, both from a public safety and air quality perspective. We need to find out a lot more about what residents living along Ocean Parkway, Church and Caton avenues, and other streets are breathing.

What can we look forward to?

You can look forward to continued, focused attention on core issues like public safety, small businesses and neighborhood events. We are going to be digging deeper into local politics and public policy issues, like the need for more open space or the quality of public facilities like schools and homeless shelters.

What do you look forward to writing about?

I want to hear — and cover — what our readers are most concerned about. I have my own opinions as someone who has lived here for years, but I think our publication really needs to tap into what residents are experiencing on a day to day basis.

What do you love most about the neighborhood?

I love places where I can eat and chat with my neighbors at the same time. I am often at establishments like Hamilton’s, Lark, and Wheated because there’s great food and drink on offer, and it’s easy to meet people.

To reach Sarah with thoughts, ideas, or suggestions, email editor@ditmasparkcorner.com.