WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.189 --> 00:00:05.860
From A1 Studios in Brooklyn, New York, this is the
2
00:00:05.940 --> 00:00:10.740
Sunset Park Podcast. Welcome back to the Sunset Park Podcast.
3
00:00:10.859 --> 00:00:14.000
I am your host, Rob Aguilar. I want you to
4
00:00:14.060 --> 00:00:17.390
think about a block you walk all the time. Maybe
5
00:00:17.429 --> 00:00:20.870
it's the block where you live. Maybe it's your walk
6
00:00:20.910 --> 00:00:24.390
to the train, to work, to school, or to pick
7
00:00:24.469 --> 00:00:28.469
someone up for dinner. Now ask yourself, what's one thing
8
00:00:28.769 --> 00:00:33.310
you would change about that block? Maybe there's a corner
9
00:00:33.429 --> 00:00:36.750
where you don't feel comfortable crossing. Maybe there's garbage that
10
00:00:36.810 --> 00:00:40.490
keeps showing up. Maybe the sidewalk is hard to navigate.
11
00:00:41.009 --> 00:00:44.500
Or maybe you look around and think, this space could
12
00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:48.159
be so much better. Most of us don't need a
13
00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:50.979
city report to tell us what's happening on a block
14
00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:55.679
we know. We see it. We live it. So today,
15
00:00:55.700 --> 00:01:00.429
I want to ask a question that sounds simple. but
16
00:01:00.469 --> 00:01:05.430
I think it deserves a real conversation. What does Sunset
17
00:01:05.510 --> 00:01:08.939
Park get back? When decisions are made about our streets,
18
00:01:09.299 --> 00:01:13.819
our sidewalks, and our public spaces, what actually changes for
19
00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:16.299
the people who live here? And how do we know
20
00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:20.099
whether a change worked? I'm asking that as a neighbor.
21
00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:23.439
I'm asking that as someone who worked as district director
22
00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:27.319
in the District 38 City Council office. When I was
23
00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:30.640
in that role, People came to the office with very
24
00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:33.930
real concerns. They weren't usually talking in the language of
25
00:01:34.010 --> 00:01:38.930
city agencies or formal proposals. They were talking about what
26
00:01:39.269 --> 00:01:42.760
was happening outside their homes. They wanted someone to listen
27
00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:46.069
and to help them figure out who was responsible and
28
00:01:46.109 --> 00:01:49.650
then follow through. And I understand that because when you're
29
00:01:49.689 --> 00:01:52.590
the one walking past the same problem every day, being
30
00:01:52.709 --> 00:01:56.159
told that it has been reported doesn't necessarily make you
31
00:01:56.219 --> 00:01:59.579
feel better. Reporting matters. It creates a record. It can
32
00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:02.180
be an important first step, but a report is not
33
00:02:02.299 --> 00:02:05.480
the same as a resolution. I've talked before on this
34
00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:08.860
podcast about illegal dumping along 3rd Avenue. That's the kind
35
00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:11.599
of issue where neighbors can point to a particular place
36
00:02:12.090 --> 00:02:16.169
and say, here, this keeps happening right here. They can
37
00:02:16.210 --> 00:02:18.650
make a 311 complaint, follow up, and ask for help.
38
00:02:18.969 --> 00:02:22.449
But I want to go a step further today. Instead
39
00:02:22.490 --> 00:02:25.229
of only asking, how do we get this cleaned up?
40
00:02:25.650 --> 00:02:28.050
I want to ask, what would it take for this
41
00:02:28.169 --> 00:02:31.610
place to feel cared for in the long run? Because
42
00:02:31.650 --> 00:02:36.270
those are two different questions. The first is about responding
43
00:02:36.330 --> 00:02:39.870
to a problem. The second is about what kind of
44
00:02:39.949 --> 00:02:43.120
neighborhood we are building. And I don't say that to
45
00:02:43.159 --> 00:02:46.229
dismiss the small fixes. If there's garbage on your block,
46
00:02:46.389 --> 00:02:48.669
of course you want it picked up. If a crossing
47
00:02:48.710 --> 00:02:52.590
feels dangerous, you want someone to address it. Sometimes the
48
00:02:52.650 --> 00:02:57.189
immediate fix is exactly what you need. But residents should
49
00:02:57.349 --> 00:02:59.860
also be able to ask for more than a cycle
50
00:02:59.900 --> 00:03:03.120
of complaint, cleanup, and complaint again. They should be able
51
00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:07.340
to ask, why does this keep happening? Who is responsible
52
00:03:07.419 --> 00:03:10.319
for the follow-up? What would make this block work better
53
00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:13.259
for the people who use it every day? That's what
54
00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:17.469
I mean by getting something back. Right now, New Yorkers
55
00:03:17.509 --> 00:03:20.169
are being asked to think about changes to how the
56
00:03:20.250 --> 00:03:25.090
city handles some decisions involving public space and street safety projects.
57
00:03:25.330 --> 00:03:29.629
There are five proposed city charter amendments on this fall's ballot.
58
00:03:30.090 --> 00:03:34.659
One addresses review of certain street safety projects. Another addresses
59
00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:38.000
permission for certain uses of public space. I'm not going
60
00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:40.520
to use this episode to tell you how to vote.
61
00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.500
I think people should read the proposals and Ask questions
62
00:03:44.939 --> 00:03:48.080
and make their own decisions. But I do think this
63
00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:51.039
is a good moment to ask what decisions would mean
64
00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:54.870
on a Sunset Park block. Let's say a street safety
65
00:03:54.930 --> 00:03:57.949
project can move faster. That could sound good to someone
66
00:03:57.969 --> 00:04:01.750
who's been asking for a safer crossing for years. But
67
00:04:01.789 --> 00:04:05.310
the question shouldn't stop at how quickly a project gets approved.
68
00:04:05.849 --> 00:04:08.550
Is the crossing safer once the work is done? Can
69
00:04:08.590 --> 00:04:11.509
a parent with a stroller use it comfortably? Can an
70
00:04:11.650 --> 00:04:14.990
older neighbor get across without feeling rushed? Did the people
71
00:04:15.069 --> 00:04:18.189
who walk that street every day get a chance to
72
00:04:18.290 --> 00:04:21.170
say what they're experiencing? Or take a public space. A
73
00:04:21.230 --> 00:04:24.410
sidewalk might be used for seating, a planter, or something
74
00:04:24.449 --> 00:04:27.569
else that changes how the block feels. Before deciding whether
75
00:04:27.610 --> 00:04:31.069
that's good or bad, I'd want to know, does it
76
00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:34.509
make the space more welcoming? Is there still room for
77
00:04:34.730 --> 00:04:38.050
everyone to get through? Whose idea was it? And whose
78
00:04:38.149 --> 00:04:42.430
voice might be missing from the conversation? To me, that's
79
00:04:42.490 --> 00:04:46.519
the Sunset Park question. That question matters beyond any one
80
00:04:46.699 --> 00:04:50.660
ballot proposal. It matters when someone calls about garbage. It
81
00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:54.139
matters when a small business owner has a concern. It
82
00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.079
matters when neighbors are talking about safety, housing, or a
83
00:04:58.139 --> 00:05:02.100
public space they want their families to enjoy. Sunset Park
84
00:05:02.220 --> 00:05:05.439
isn't one person's experience. Two neighbors can look at the
85
00:05:05.459 --> 00:05:08.600
same block and need different things from it. One may
86
00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:11.480
be worried about getting to work on time. Another may
87
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.379
be thinking about whether their child can cross the street safely.
88
00:05:14.899 --> 00:05:17.610
Someone else may be asking whether they can still afford
89
00:05:17.649 --> 00:05:20.490
to live near the people and places they love. If
90
00:05:20.529 --> 00:05:23.870
we're serious about improving a neighborhood, we have to make
91
00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:27.709
room for those different voices. That's one of the lessons
92
00:05:27.769 --> 00:05:30.579
I took from working in local government. Listening is is
93
00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:33.139
not just the courtesy you offer before moving on to
94
00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:36.060
the real work. Listening is part of the work. And
95
00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:38.779
it's especially important to hear from people who don't have
96
00:05:38.819 --> 00:05:41.660
time to attend every meeting or who may not know
97
00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:44.160
which office to call. I also learned that it's worth
98
00:05:44.220 --> 00:05:47.500
being honest about what one office can and cannot do.
99
00:05:47.779 --> 00:05:50.569
A council office can help a resident document a concern,
100
00:05:50.970 --> 00:05:55.170
contact an agency, ask for an update, and keep pushing
101
00:05:55.209 --> 00:05:58.649
for an answer. But that doesn't mean every problem has
102
00:05:58.870 --> 00:06:01.959
an immediate solution. People deserve to know where things stand,
103
00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:06.079
even when the answer is frustrating. That's a big part
104
00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:09.360
of accountability to me. Don't just announce a plan and disappear.
105
00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:14.230
Come back and tell people what happened. If it didn't work,
106
00:06:14.629 --> 00:06:18.750
say so. And ask what needs to change. So I
107
00:06:18.790 --> 00:06:22.529
want to put a question out to everyone listening. If
108
00:06:22.589 --> 00:06:26.930
Sunset Park could get one meaningful improvement on a block
109
00:06:26.970 --> 00:06:30.439
that you know very well, what would it be? I'm
110
00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:33.180
not asking for a perfect city plan. Tell me about
111
00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:37.199
one place, a corner, a stretch of sidewalk, a route
112
00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:40.300
you take every morning. Tell me what's happening there. What
113
00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.060
have you tried and what do you think would make
114
00:06:43.110 --> 00:06:46.089
a difference? Maybe the answer is a practical fix that
115
00:06:46.129 --> 00:06:49.370
someone needs to follow through. Maybe it's a bigger conversation
116
00:06:49.410 --> 00:06:53.230
that neighbors should have together. Either way, I don't want
117
00:06:53.269 --> 00:06:55.670
to assume I know the answer before hearing from the
118
00:06:55.709 --> 00:06:58.670
people who use that space. You can reach out to
119
00:06:58.730 --> 00:07:03.100
me at sunsetparkpodcast at gmail.com. I'm interested in the places
120
00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:06.379
you think need attention and in what you would consider
121
00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:10.379
a real result, not just another promise. Because Sunset Park
122
00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:13.779
contributes so much through the people that live here, work here,
123
00:07:14.019 --> 00:07:17.620
raise families here, open businesses here, and look out for
124
00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:21.740
one another. Asking what our neighborhood gets back isn't asking
125
00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:25.180
for special treatment. It's asking whether the decisions made in
126
00:07:25.259 --> 00:07:30.480
our name make everyday life better. I'm Rob Aguilar, and
127
00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:33.339
this is the Sunset Park Podcast. Thank you very much
128
00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.769
for listening. This has been an A1 Broadcasting Podcast.
1
00:00:01.189 --> 00:00:05.860
From A1 Studios in Brooklyn, New York, this is the
2
00:00:05.940 --> 00:00:10.740
Sunset Park Podcast. Welcome back to the Sunset Park Podcast.
3
00:00:10.859 --> 00:00:14.000
I am your host, Rob Aguilar. I want you to
4
00:00:14.060 --> 00:00:17.390
think about a block you walk all the time. Maybe
5
00:00:17.429 --> 00:00:20.870
it's the block where you live. Maybe it's your walk
6
00:00:20.910 --> 00:00:24.390
to the train, to work, to school, or to pick
7
00:00:24.469 --> 00:00:28.469
someone up for dinner. Now ask yourself, what's one thing
8
00:00:28.769 --> 00:00:33.310
you would change about that block? Maybe there's a corner
9
00:00:33.429 --> 00:00:36.750
where you don't feel comfortable crossing. Maybe there's garbage that
10
00:00:36.810 --> 00:00:40.490
keeps showing up. Maybe the sidewalk is hard to navigate.
11
00:00:41.009 --> 00:00:44.500
Or maybe you look around and think, this space could
12
00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:48.159
be so much better. Most of us don't need a
13
00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:50.979
city report to tell us what's happening on a block
14
00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:55.679
we know. We see it. We live it. So today,
15
00:00:55.700 --> 00:01:00.429
I want to ask a question that sounds simple. but
16
00:01:00.469 --> 00:01:05.430
I think it deserves a real conversation. What does Sunset
17
00:01:05.510 --> 00:01:08.939
Park get back? When decisions are made about our streets,
18
00:01:09.299 --> 00:01:13.819
our sidewalks, and our public spaces, what actually changes for
19
00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:16.299
the people who live here? And how do we know
20
00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:20.099
whether a change worked? I'm asking that as a neighbor.
21
00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:23.439
I'm asking that as someone who worked as district director
22
00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:27.319
in the District 38 City Council office. When I was
23
00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:30.640
in that role, People came to the office with very
24
00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:33.930
real concerns. They weren't usually talking in the language of
25
00:01:34.010 --> 00:01:38.930
city agencies or formal proposals. They were talking about what
26
00:01:39.269 --> 00:01:42.760
was happening outside their homes. They wanted someone to listen
27
00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:46.069
and to help them figure out who was responsible and
28
00:01:46.109 --> 00:01:49.650
then follow through. And I understand that because when you're
29
00:01:49.689 --> 00:01:52.590
the one walking past the same problem every day, being
30
00:01:52.709 --> 00:01:56.159
told that it has been reported doesn't necessarily make you
31
00:01:56.219 --> 00:01:59.579
feel better. Reporting matters. It creates a record. It can
32
00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:02.180
be an important first step, but a report is not
33
00:02:02.299 --> 00:02:05.480
the same as a resolution. I've talked before on this
34
00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:08.860
podcast about illegal dumping along 3rd Avenue. That's the kind
35
00:02:08.919 --> 00:02:11.599
of issue where neighbors can point to a particular place
36
00:02:12.090 --> 00:02:16.169
and say, here, this keeps happening right here. They can
37
00:02:16.210 --> 00:02:18.650
make a 311 complaint, follow up, and ask for help.
38
00:02:18.969 --> 00:02:22.449
But I want to go a step further today. Instead
39
00:02:22.490 --> 00:02:25.229
of only asking, how do we get this cleaned up?
40
00:02:25.650 --> 00:02:28.050
I want to ask, what would it take for this
41
00:02:28.169 --> 00:02:31.610
place to feel cared for in the long run? Because
42
00:02:31.650 --> 00:02:36.270
those are two different questions. The first is about responding
43
00:02:36.330 --> 00:02:39.870
to a problem. The second is about what kind of
44
00:02:39.949 --> 00:02:43.120
neighborhood we are building. And I don't say that to
45
00:02:43.159 --> 00:02:46.229
dismiss the small fixes. If there's garbage on your block,
46
00:02:46.389 --> 00:02:48.669
of course you want it picked up. If a crossing
47
00:02:48.710 --> 00:02:52.590
feels dangerous, you want someone to address it. Sometimes the
48
00:02:52.650 --> 00:02:57.189
immediate fix is exactly what you need. But residents should
49
00:02:57.349 --> 00:02:59.860
also be able to ask for more than a cycle
50
00:02:59.900 --> 00:03:03.120
of complaint, cleanup, and complaint again. They should be able
51
00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:07.340
to ask, why does this keep happening? Who is responsible
52
00:03:07.419 --> 00:03:10.319
for the follow-up? What would make this block work better
53
00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:13.259
for the people who use it every day? That's what
54
00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:17.469
I mean by getting something back. Right now, New Yorkers
55
00:03:17.509 --> 00:03:20.169
are being asked to think about changes to how the
56
00:03:20.250 --> 00:03:25.090
city handles some decisions involving public space and street safety projects.
57
00:03:25.330 --> 00:03:29.629
There are five proposed city charter amendments on this fall's ballot.
58
00:03:30.090 --> 00:03:34.659
One addresses review of certain street safety projects. Another addresses
59
00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:38.000
permission for certain uses of public space. I'm not going
60
00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:40.520
to use this episode to tell you how to vote.
61
00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.500
I think people should read the proposals and Ask questions
62
00:03:44.939 --> 00:03:48.080
and make their own decisions. But I do think this
63
00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:51.039
is a good moment to ask what decisions would mean
64
00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:54.870
on a Sunset Park block. Let's say a street safety
65
00:03:54.930 --> 00:03:57.949
project can move faster. That could sound good to someone
66
00:03:57.969 --> 00:04:01.750
who's been asking for a safer crossing for years. But
67
00:04:01.789 --> 00:04:05.310
the question shouldn't stop at how quickly a project gets approved.
68
00:04:05.849 --> 00:04:08.550
Is the crossing safer once the work is done? Can
69
00:04:08.590 --> 00:04:11.509
a parent with a stroller use it comfortably? Can an
70
00:04:11.650 --> 00:04:14.990
older neighbor get across without feeling rushed? Did the people
71
00:04:15.069 --> 00:04:18.189
who walk that street every day get a chance to
72
00:04:18.290 --> 00:04:21.170
say what they're experiencing? Or take a public space. A
73
00:04:21.230 --> 00:04:24.410
sidewalk might be used for seating, a planter, or something
74
00:04:24.449 --> 00:04:27.569
else that changes how the block feels. Before deciding whether
75
00:04:27.610 --> 00:04:31.069
that's good or bad, I'd want to know, does it
76
00:04:31.180 --> 00:04:34.509
make the space more welcoming? Is there still room for
77
00:04:34.730 --> 00:04:38.050
everyone to get through? Whose idea was it? And whose
78
00:04:38.149 --> 00:04:42.430
voice might be missing from the conversation? To me, that's
79
00:04:42.490 --> 00:04:46.519
the Sunset Park question. That question matters beyond any one
80
00:04:46.699 --> 00:04:50.660
ballot proposal. It matters when someone calls about garbage. It
81
00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:54.139
matters when a small business owner has a concern. It
82
00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.079
matters when neighbors are talking about safety, housing, or a
83
00:04:58.139 --> 00:05:02.100
public space they want their families to enjoy. Sunset Park
84
00:05:02.220 --> 00:05:05.439
isn't one person's experience. Two neighbors can look at the
85
00:05:05.459 --> 00:05:08.600
same block and need different things from it. One may
86
00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:11.480
be worried about getting to work on time. Another may
87
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.379
be thinking about whether their child can cross the street safely.
88
00:05:14.899 --> 00:05:17.610
Someone else may be asking whether they can still afford
89
00:05:17.649 --> 00:05:20.490
to live near the people and places they love. If
90
00:05:20.529 --> 00:05:23.870
we're serious about improving a neighborhood, we have to make
91
00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:27.709
room for those different voices. That's one of the lessons
92
00:05:27.769 --> 00:05:30.579
I took from working in local government. Listening is is
93
00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:33.139
not just the courtesy you offer before moving on to
94
00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:36.060
the real work. Listening is part of the work. And
95
00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:38.779
it's especially important to hear from people who don't have
96
00:05:38.819 --> 00:05:41.660
time to attend every meeting or who may not know
97
00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:44.160
which office to call. I also learned that it's worth
98
00:05:44.220 --> 00:05:47.500
being honest about what one office can and cannot do.
99
00:05:47.779 --> 00:05:50.569
A council office can help a resident document a concern,
100
00:05:50.970 --> 00:05:55.170
contact an agency, ask for an update, and keep pushing
101
00:05:55.209 --> 00:05:58.649
for an answer. But that doesn't mean every problem has
102
00:05:58.870 --> 00:06:01.959
an immediate solution. People deserve to know where things stand,
103
00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:06.079
even when the answer is frustrating. That's a big part
104
00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:09.360
of accountability to me. Don't just announce a plan and disappear.
105
00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:14.230
Come back and tell people what happened. If it didn't work,
106
00:06:14.629 --> 00:06:18.750
say so. And ask what needs to change. So I
107
00:06:18.790 --> 00:06:22.529
want to put a question out to everyone listening. If
108
00:06:22.589 --> 00:06:26.930
Sunset Park could get one meaningful improvement on a block
109
00:06:26.970 --> 00:06:30.439
that you know very well, what would it be? I'm
110
00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:33.180
not asking for a perfect city plan. Tell me about
111
00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:37.199
one place, a corner, a stretch of sidewalk, a route
112
00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:40.300
you take every morning. Tell me what's happening there. What
113
00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.060
have you tried and what do you think would make
114
00:06:43.110 --> 00:06:46.089
a difference? Maybe the answer is a practical fix that
115
00:06:46.129 --> 00:06:49.370
someone needs to follow through. Maybe it's a bigger conversation
116
00:06:49.410 --> 00:06:53.230
that neighbors should have together. Either way, I don't want
117
00:06:53.269 --> 00:06:55.670
to assume I know the answer before hearing from the
118
00:06:55.709 --> 00:06:58.670
people who use that space. You can reach out to
119
00:06:58.730 --> 00:07:03.100
me at sunsetparkpodcast at gmail.com. I'm interested in the places
120
00:07:03.139 --> 00:07:06.379
you think need attention and in what you would consider
121
00:07:06.500 --> 00:07:10.379
a real result, not just another promise. Because Sunset Park
122
00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:13.779
contributes so much through the people that live here, work here,
123
00:07:14.019 --> 00:07:17.620
raise families here, open businesses here, and look out for
124
00:07:17.720 --> 00:07:21.740
one another. Asking what our neighborhood gets back isn't asking
125
00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:25.180
for special treatment. It's asking whether the decisions made in
126
00:07:25.259 --> 00:07:30.480
our name make everyday life better. I'm Rob Aguilar, and
127
00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:33.339
this is the Sunset Park Podcast. Thank you very much
128
00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.769
for listening. This has been an A1 Broadcasting Podcast.
