Attention Crown Heights Residents, our Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who we all voted for in the Democratic Primary, will be holding a Community Listening Session on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Brooklyn Public Library – Central Branch, located at 10 Grand Army Plaza.

This is an important opportunity for our community to respectfully raise serious concerns and ask questions about issues directly affecting Crown Heights.

1. Homeless Shelters in Crown Heights

Residents strongly oppose the placement of any additional homeless shelters in Crown Heights. Our neighborhood is home to many families, schools, yeshivas, and seniors, and safety must remain the top priority. We do not want more shelters in our community, especially given that our congressional district already carries multiple shelter facilities. In other areas, additional shelters have led to serious quality-of-life concerns and increased public safety issues.

2. Protected Bike Lanes on Kingston Avenue and Brooklyn Avenue

While bike safety is important, residents have expressed concerns about traffic flow, emergency vehicle access, parking loss, and pedestrian safety. In other Brooklyn neighborhoods, including parts of Williamsburg such as Bedford Avenue, some community members have reported increased serious injuries and accidents following street redesigns. Many are asking for careful review, data transparency, and community input before further changes move forward.

3. Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center / Kingsbrook Shul (South Crown Heights)

Residents are deeply concerned about reports that the historic Kingsbrook Shul on the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center campus — a nearly 100-year-old synagogue that has been an important part of our community’s history — is facing demolition as part of a large state-funded housing redevelopment plan. Congregants and local leaders have filed legal action to protect the shul and preserve its role in the neighborhood’s religious and cultural life, and public officials have been urged to ensure the building is saved and respected as part of any future development.

4. New MTA Bus Route on Albany Avenue

The proposed MTA city bus route along Albany Avenue, passing Lubavitcher Yeshiva, has raised concerns regarding student safety, traffic patterns, and congestion standing Gridlock during school hours.

5. Her stance on Eretz Yisroel

Many in our community feel that Yvette Clarke has not always aligned with the strong pro-Israel stance that many Crown Heights residents support. In 2015, she publicly supported the Obama Iran deal (JCPOA) — the Iran nuclear deal — a position that drew significant criticism from organizations and constituents who felt the agreement did not sufficiently prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. 

This listening session is an opportunity to speak respectfully, ask these questions, and ensure that Crown Heights residents are fully heard. Community participation matters!