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Council Member 11
th
Ward
Judd Krasher
371 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12206

TELEPHONE: 518- 364- 5006
FAX: 518 434- 5081
COUNCILMANKRASHER@OUTLOOK.COM


CITY OF ALBANY
COMMON COUNCIL




MEMBER
COUNCI L OPERATI ONS AND
ETHI CS

LAW, BUI LDI NGS AND CODE
ENFORCEMENT

GENERAL SERVI CES,
HEALTH AND
ENVI RONMENT





MEMORANDUM
TO: KATHY SHEEHAN, MAYOR
FROM: JUDD KRASHER, 11TH WARD COMMON COUNCIL MEMBER
SUBJECT: CURRENT 11TH WARD PRIORITIES
DATE: JULY 31, 2014
CC: JOHN O'GRADY, WEST END NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
HELEN KLAEYSEN, WEST END NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
ALLEN LESCAK, BEVERWYCK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
SHARON LESCAK, BEVERWYCK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
BILL ALLEN, WASHINGTON SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
HADIYA WILBORN, WASHINGTON SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

On July 27, 2014 I met with the leaders of the neighborhood associations that encompass the 11th
Ward. Together, we developed several priorities for the Ward. The overarching desire expressed was "putting
residents first for one Albany." The following priorities have been reviewed by each of the leaders carbon
copied in this memorandum:
1. Dramatically expand quality, affordable housing stock. The neighborhoods comprising the 11th
Ward are some of the most rapidly changing and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the City of Albany.
Additionally, the 11th Ward has the youngest average age in the City. These facts represent an array of
challenges and opportunities. Leaving that discussion aside for the moment, the key fact is how quickly the
Ward's neighborhoods are changing. The influx of immigrants, refugees and young professionals is
necessitating the creation of desirable rental units. While surveys have consistently shown that the desire to
own a home has remained with younger generations and immigrants, the financial decks are stacked against
them. Crippling student loan debt, for example, has led to a drastic decline in homeownership rates.
i

Since we, as local officials, have no control over national financial policy, we need to adapt.
Homeownership should remain the ideal. However, to ensure the ongoing growth of Albany, quality,
affordable rental units are the first step to retaining young professionals and immigrants.
2. Uplift neighborhoods and prevent the spread of urban decay. Quality housing stock is only as
good as the neighborhood it is located. There is broad concern in the 11th Ward that too much emphasis is
being placed on attracting tourists, rather than attracting and retaining residents. Neighborhoods must
absolutely come first in order to move Albany forward. Part of putting neighborhoods first means addressing
quality of life issues, regardless of the degree of severity. To be clear, prioritizing should occur, but "minor"
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issues should not be ignored or significantly delayed in rectifying. Like many neighborhoods, "minor" quality
of life issues are pervasive in the 11th Ward. Some examples of "minor" issues include tree/weed overgrowth,
double utility poles, fading street signs, unsightly building facades, litter, et cetera. All of these problems add
up to a poor first impression and, moreover, a signal of a poor quality of life. It is essential for people to see
proof of a good quality of life so we can attract more residents and businesses.
ii

In particular, there is a strong desire for increased waste receptacles. Residents are often told by city
officials that placing receptacles in particular areas would lead to dumping. As a potential solution, we should
look into expanding the "Big Belly" trash bins into high traffic area (Washington Ave., Quail St., North Allen
St. and Colby St. are some examples.)
When it comes to urban decay, the Beverwyck Neighborhood is a good, albeit tragic, example. Once
an anchor in mid-town Albany, Beverwyck is changing. Longtime homeowners are aging and moving away,
neglectful landlords are gobbling up properties and code enforcement is lax. We must crackdown on
neglectful landlords, strictly enforce our building codes and address "minor" issues before they change the
nature of a neighborhood. Also, I would suggest here a task force composed of selected members of the
Common Council, city officials and neighborhood residents - both landlords and tenants - to openly identify
and seek courses of action to this critical and increasingly burdensome problem.
3. Public safety. In recent months, we have seen upticks in criminal activity in the Washington Square
area (and surrounding streets) and in the Beverwyck area. We request additional beat patrols in these areas.
There is a disturbing increase in shootings. Additionally, residents have been victims of home break-ins and
witnesses to drug dealing and prostitution. This all drastically depletes the quality of the neighborhood and
scares off potential renters, homeowners and businesses.
4. We must work together to create thriving, eclectic commercial areas for the 11th Ward. Residents
in Washington Square and Beverwyck have easy access to Central Avenue. Unfortunately, due to the
aforementioned issues, many residents are reluctant to spend time there. The Avenue can and should be a
hub of a wide variety of thriving, diverse local businesses. In the West End, there is significant opportunity to
redevelop Watervliet Ave to make that a thriving commercial area for residents in that neighborhood. We are
primed and ready to work with all city departments, along with the Central BID to make this happen.
5. Empower and engage residents, regardless of language. As mentioned, the 11th Ward is the most
ethnically diverse ward in Albany. Walking up and down West Street alone, one can meet immigrants and
refugees from all areas of the Earth. One of the fastest growing populations are Spanish-speaking individuals.
Albany should be making necessary language accommodations, including in public notices, our website, and
any other informational material. The 11th Ward also has a significant Arabic-speaking population, among
many other languages. In order for us to truly be a 21st Century city, we must help to engage our non-English
speaking residents.
iii








i
Thompson, Derek. The Atlantic. The End of Homeownership: Why Arent Younger People Buying More Houses?
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/02/the-end-of-ownership-why-arent-young-people-buying-more-
houses/253750/
ii
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Voices From Forgotten Cities.
http://www.chapa.org/sites/default/files/qwert_9.pdf
iii
Ibid.