New City Council District Plans Revealed

New City Council District maps were approved unanimously by the Districting Commision last night, reports DNAinfo.

Here’s what happened around us:

• 39th District: At October’s District Commission hearing, Brad Lander’s 39th district was subject to significant debate. Stretching from Park Slope to Kensington and Boro Park, the area is divided between the relatively secular and liberal north and the religious and conservative south. Speaking at the meeting, a number of Jewish Boro Park residents recited election numbers illustrating the stark divide between north and south. The two areas voted very differently on most local candidates and issues. The 39th lost some ground in Boro Park but remains a significant presence for much of that Jewish community. The district gained ground in the north.

• 40th District: Mathieu Eugene gained new constituents in Kensington and lost a few near Lefferts Gardens. His district remains largely unchanged covering everything South of Prospect Park until Avenue I including Ditmas Park and its surroundings.

• 44th District: David Greenfield’s district shrunk away from our area, ceding ground in Kensington but gaining in Midwood as it moved a bit to the south and west. Below Avenue C, the district was pushed westward towards Ocean Parkway.

• 45th District: Jumaane Williams was able to absorb West Midwood after making a strong push to do so in October. The district also expanded significantly into Midwood itself further south. Several Jewish neighbors who showed up to the October District Commission hearing made clear that they preferred being in the 44th or 48th Districts with the people they said had most in common with. Likely as a result of the complaints, some of the area went to Greenfield instead of Williams. As a result of his gains near our area, proposed expansion of the 45th in Brownsville was nixed.

The City Council has three weeks to vote on the plan. It must also be approved by the Justice Department.

You can view the maps in some detail Districting Commision’s website. As the commission updates the site in the near future, multiple formats will be available.

What do you think of the revised plan?