Klein & Salamanca to City: No mini Rikers in Hunts Point community

Elected officials & community rallied against ‘secret’ proposal to locate new 2,000 bed jail in Bronx neighborhood

      State Senator Jeff Klein and Councilman Rafael Salamanca joined community leaders and residents today to rally against a “secret” proposal to develop a mini Rikers Island in the growing Hunts Point community.

Two weeks ago, plans to locate new jail facilities throughout the boroughs, including Hunts Point in The Bronx, were reported. The proposal detailed closing the Vernon C. Bain Center barge. Currently moored in the area, the barge already houses approximately 800 inmates.

The new proposal would introduce a 2,000-bed adult jail to the area - more than doubling the number of inmates housed in Hunts Point.

While the de Blasio administration at first denied any knowledge of plans to locate new jail facilities to replace Rikers in communities across the city, including Hunts Point, a detailed 18-page document outlining plans for the possible facility was later exposed.

“The Hunts Point community has worked hard to develop their area, and a secretive plan to bring a mini Rikers to the area is simply unacceptable. An exposed document is not how this community should learn about a proposal that will impact their day-to-day lives. The Hunts Point community has its own vision for business, housing and growth. This proposal puts their vision behind bars.  We should be focusing on the best way to fix Rikers, rather than on blindsiding our neighborhoods, ” said Senator Klein.

“While I understand that we need to make strides in improving corrections infrastructure, primarily Rikers Island, the solution is not building a new facility in the South Bronx. I’m incredibly concerned that it took a leaked document provided to a newspaper for this community to learn about a proposal to place a possible jail in Hunts Point. Enough is enough. This neighborhood is making positive strides and already has had its fair share of these types of facilities. South Bronx families deserve better,” said Councilman Salamanca.

“Building jails is a bad idea because it does not fix the problem.  Hunts Point is resurrecting itself from a dark past.  The community is against it,” said Bronx Community Board 2 Chairman Dr. Iam Amritt.

Above - It appears that State Senator Jeff Klein had to be called in to fught the latest City proposal to build a new 2,000 bed adult jail into the Hunts Point area where an 800 bed jail currently sits. 

Below - Former Bronx Community Board #2 District Manager, and recently elected City Councilman (to replace the former Councilwoman Maria Del Carmen Arroyo who resigned in December 2015) claims ignorance as to the sighting of the new 2,000 bed adult jail in his council district, and former community board where he was the District Manager. 

In the background is a large fish company that is right across the street from the proposed adult jail site.

I was able to ask Councilman Salamanca about the power of the city council which seems to have diminished greatly under Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, after this project, the sighting of homeless shelters, The MIH and ZQA council approval over the opposition of the community boards, and the recent problems at the Kingsbridge Armory to name only a few. Councilman Salamanca could only say that he did not see any diminished power in the city council. 

If so why was the community not notified Councilman Salamanca?

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