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Proposal for Asian-American Council District Sparks Controversy

After Brooklyn districts are redrawn to reflect population changes, many are concerned with the new boundaries.
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Courtesy of New York City Districting Commission

The new proposal for an Asian-American Council District in parts of Dyker Heights, Sunset Park, and Bensonhurst has sparked controversy, reports The Brooklyn Eagle.

Last Friday, The New York City Redistricting Commission released its map of new proposed City Council districts. The commission is tasked with redwing City Council maps after every biennial census, to accurately reflect population changes.

And with approximately 45,000 Chinese Americans living in Bensonhurst and 28,000 in Sunset Park, according to the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, many feel it is time for the district to reflect this population. The new proposed map now includes the creation of a new Asian-majority district in Brooklyn as proposed by the organization "Asian Americans for Equality."

To help create this district, the commission combined Bay Ridge, part of the current 43rd District, and the 38th District's Sunset Park, into a revamped 38th District. They also removed Red Hook from the 38th District and placed it into a newly altered 39th District, which stretches south into Park Slope and Kensington.

The change could pit Council-members Justin Brannan and Alexa Aviles against each other in the next election, pushing them to release a joint statement criticizing the proposal.

“It is perplexing that the creation of an AAPI-majority seat in southern Brooklyn would lead to the dissolution and division of Red Hook, Sunset Park – in addition to Dyker Heights – and it is certainly not necessary,” the joint statement read.

Despite political opposition, Brooklyn residents took to social media to voice their own opinions with many finding the change to be the least of their worries. And in looking at the rest of proposed map for Brooklyn, districts in Northern, Central and Eastern District seem to have basically been left alone, with minor changes.

The maps are available for public review online at nyc.gov/districting.




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