Social Issues

No community is perfect. There are drawbacks to living in every neighborhood and Bensonhurst is no different. Below are some comments made by the community board, a New York Times article and residents about what improvements are needed.

Community Board: 

According to Marnee Elias-Pavia the District Manager for Community Board 11, Bensonhurst’s ongoing issues revolve around infrastructure and quality of life. After budget cuts the amount of litter basket collections have been reduced making street cleanliness a concern. The community board is also apprehensive about graffiti removal, they are currently working to speed up the process. Finally, it is a priority of the community board to have the corridor resurfaced this painting season as it is in desperate need.

Real Estate Section of the New York Times:

Parking has been a problem in the last decade or so and neighborhood leaders have asked for stiffer parking space requirements to reallocate the space.

Racial Tensions: 

Although there are many perks of this neighborhood and many residents seem to be embracing the culture and diversity, there has been reports of some racial tension over the years. In August 1989 a group of white teenagers murdered Yusef Hawkins, a black teenager visiting the neighborhood with friends to look at a used car. 

Jessiejames1979 writes on a blog about Bensonhurst Brooklyn that he has seen African Americans being harassed for being in the wrong neighborhood and knows that there are some street gangs jumping, robbing and beating intoxicated Mexican and Central American immigrants. He says that for whatever reason some Italian and Eastern European men do not like these groups of people on “their block”.

In 2004, after extensive reports of harassment of Asian Americans in Lafayette High School, the city’s Department of Education signed a consent decree with the Department of Justice that agreed to improve services for non-English speakers and institute tolerance training.

**It is important to point out that Lafayette High School is not directly in Bensonhurst but still extremely close to the Bay Parkway subway station (refer to map below for exact location)**

 

 

 

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http://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/aries2014finalproject/