· Is the jail open today?
· What's the history of the jail?
· What does the City have to do before reopening and expanding the jail?
· How much will it cost to reopen and expand the jail?
· How does reopening and expanding the Brooklyn House of Detention compare
  to other options from a financial perspective?
· What are alternatives to the Brooklyn House of Detention?



Is the jail open today?
The jail has been closed since 2003. However, we Commissioner Horn informed Councilman David Yassky that the jail will be reopened within 7 days. By the time you read this, either (a) the jail will have reopened; or (b) we will have succeeded in temporarily preventing the reopening of the jail.


What's the history of the jail?
      · 1957: BHOD was opened
      · 2003: 749-bed BHOD facility closed due to falling NYC prison population
        (according to Commissioner Horn)
      · May 2007: DOC issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for redevelopment of BHOD
        (the proposal sought an expansion of the jail from 815 beds to about 1544 beds, and the inclusion
        of retail space on the site)
      · Mid - late 2007: City receives NO responses to RFEI (except alternate proposal from Common
        Ground Community and Hamlin Ventures)
      · June 2008: Stop BHOD founded; Press conference held with Comptroller Thompson, Councilman
        Yassky, State Assemblywoman Joan Millman, State Senator Martin Connor, State Senator Primary
        Winner (and now State Senator) Daniel Squadron (all opposing jail reopening and expansion)
      · June 2008: City applies to State Commission on Corrections to reinstate "maximum capacity" of
        BHOD to 749 beds; after closing the jail, the City had previously applied to the State to have the
        "maximum capacity" of the jail reduced to zero
      · Jul - Sep 2008: the NY State Corrections Department approves the increase in the "maximum capacity"
        of the jail to 749 beds
      · Jul - Sep 2008: DOC issues a Request for Proposal (RFP) for BHOD asking for 729 additional beds
        (1478 total) and awards the contract for architectural services to Ricci Greene Associates ($32.5MM)
      · Nov 2008: DOC plans to move prisoners back into the jail
      · 2012/3: DOC plans to reopen BHOD


What does the City have to do before reopening and expanding the jail?
Whenever there is a major development proposed by the City it is required to go through three steps:
  1. Land review process: the City is obligated to go through a process called the Uniform Land Use
      Review Process (ULURP). However, the Department of Corrections (DOC) has refused to go through
      the ULURP process

  2. Environmental review: the DOC is also required to conduct an environmental review of the proposed
      project; again the DOC has refused to undertake this process

  3. Fair Share analysis: finally, the City Charter requires that the City conduct a Fair Share analysis. The
      purpose of this analysis is to look at whether a particular community is shouldering a greater burden than
      other neighborhoods in terms of where City services are located (e.g., social services, Corrections,
      sanitation etc). Again, the DOC is refusing to undertake a Fair Share analysis

It is regrettable that the DOC is refusing to go through these standard review processes. However, it is indicative of how the DOC is treating the community as it seeks to expand the Brooklyn House of detention.


How much will it cost to reopen and expand the jail?
The Brooklyn House of detention will cost a minimum of $500 million. And if the city were to sell the site and reap the ongoing tax revenues the benefit to the City could be as much as $750 million. We believe it is important that the City be a responsible steward of taxpayer resources during such a difficult economic environment. Here are some important facts:
  1. Cost of expanding of BHOD from 749 to 1478 beds: $440 million
      · This covers 40,000 square feet of new construction and renovation (Source: City of New York
        Executive Budget FY 2009: Message of the Mayor, May 1, 2008)

  2. Cost over-runs: $54 million
      · Typical cost over-run on city construction projects is 12.3% (Source: New York City Independent
        Budget Office, Does City Capital Spending Match the 10-Year Strategy?, February 2007)

  3. Revenue from sale of site at 275 Atlantic Avenue: $45-72 million
      · Estimated price of land net of demolition costs (Source: Comptroller Thompson, Brownstoner,
        June 5, 2008; plus various real estate developers)

  4. Tax revenue from 275 Atlantic Ave if site sold or leased: $200 million
      · It is estimated that NYC could get $20 million in annual tax revenue if the site was sold or leased,
        which is equivalent to $200 mm on a one-time basis using 10% discount rate (Source: William
        Thompson, City Comptroller, Press Release, April 24, 2008)


How does reopening and expanding the Brooklyn House of Detention compare to other options from a financial perspective?
The most perplexing thing is why the Department of Corrections (DOC) insists on reopening and expanding the Brooklyn House of Detention (BHOD) when there is more than enough capacity at the City's main facility at Riker's Island. According to the City's own budget documents the gross capacity of Riker's is 16,680 inmates. Yet, since 2002, the City's end-of-year inmate population has remained between 12,700 and 13,500 (Source: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services). So why bother opening expanded or new jails, as the DOC is planning to do, not only in Brooklyn but also in the Bronx? A good question indeed.

Reopening the Brooklyn House of Detention is more perplexing when the cost of various options is considered. Consider the following:
      · Expansion of the Brooklyn House of Detention: the cost per bed to expand BHOD is $611,111
        (based on the $440 million expense for 729 extra beds)
      · New Bronx jail: the cost per bed to build the Bronx jail is $344, 667 (based on the $517 million
        expense for 1500 beds)
      · Renovation of James A. Thomas Center at Rikers: the cost per bed to renovate at Rikers is $75,377
        (based on the $90 million expense for renovating 1194 beds at Rikers)

In other words, the BHOD expansion will cost 2 times as much as the new jail in the Bronx and 8 times as much as renovatng facilities at Rikers. This is height of fiscal irresponsibility in this time of economic crisis. The sensible thing to do is renovate Rikers. And it is also the humane thing to do. The facilities at Rikers are substandard and do not adequately meet the needs of prisoners. We feel strongly that not only is renovating Rikers the fiscally responsible thing to do, but our concern for prisoners' rights demands it. If, however, the DOC insists on building a new jail in Brooklyn, we recommend taking a hard look at the Brooklyn Navy Yards, as well as the Sunset Park industrial area (which is also home to other correctional facilities). This would allow the valuable land on the current site of the BHOD to be used for important community uses like affordable housing and public schooling.


What are alternatives to the Brooklyn House of Detention?
As noted above, we believe that the most fiscally responsible option is to renovate Rikers instead of reopening and expanding the Brooklyn House of Detention. However, if the Department of Corrections insists on building a new jail in Brooklyn, we recommend taking a hard look at the Brooklyn Navy Yards, as well as the Sunset Park industrial area (which is also home to other correctional facilities). This would allow the valuable land on the current site of the BHOD to be used for important community uses like affordable housing and public schooling.