New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies to Host Public Hearing on Gentrification and Redlining

Community invited to share testimonies on housing displacement and racialized land use in New York

ALBANY, NY, UNITED STATES, July 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies (NYSCCRR) will continue its statewide series of public hearings with an in-person hearing on Thursday, July 31, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Brooklyn Public Library - Brooklyn Heights Branch (286 Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn, NY 11201).

The hearing will center on the theme: “Gentrification and Redlining: The Impact of Displacement on Black Communities.” This session aims to educate the community and gather testimonies on how discriminatory housing policies, real estate practices, and economic disinvestment have contributed to generational harm and spatial injustice across New York State.

The Commission will start the hearing with brief updates and educational presentations, followed by public testimony. All New Yorkers, including residents, researchers, historians, youth, elders, parents, and community leaders, are encouraged to share personal stories, research, ideas, and proposals related to reparative justice.

Confirmed educational speakers for the Brooklyn event include:

• Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard, economist and author of Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice
• Marquis Taylor, youth empowerment advocate and Tenement Museum 2023-24 lead researcher

“This hearing is an essential part of understanding the present-day consequences of historic harm,” said Dr. Seanelle Hawkins, Chair of the NYSCCRR. “Whether you’ve experienced displacement personally or witnessed the transformation of your community, your story helps shape the path forward.”

The NYSCCRR was established by Senate Bill S1163A, introduced by Assembly Member Michaelle Solages and Senator James Sanders Jr. and signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2023. The Commission’s mandate is examining the economic, social, and political harms caused by slavery and systemic racism in New York State and delivering an evidence-based report with recommended reparation remedies to the governor and state legislature.

In addition to the public hearing, the Commission will hold a public business meeting on Friday, August 1, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The meeting will take place simultaneously at two locations:

• Brooklyn Public Library, 286 Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn, NY 11201
• Onondaga Community College, Coulter Library Community Room C116, 4585 West Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, NY 13215

Members of the public are welcome to attend first 20 minutes of the meeting at either location. The remainder will be held in executive session and closed to the public and press.

Those unable to attend may submit written or audio testimony via email at ReparationsCommission@reparations.ny.gov or leave a voicemail by calling 518-473-3997.

To learn more about the Commission, access past hearing materials, or follow NYSCCRR updates, visit www.ny.gov/reparations.

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Media Contact:

Meghan Sowersby, Media Relations Manager
New York State Community Commission
meghan.sowersby@wordswarriors.com
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