BP Levine Ousts Two CB9 Members, Stirring a New Round of Controversy

Community Board 9’s zoning subcommittee has been left with only one member after Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine declined to reappoint the remaining two members—Liz Waytkus and Signe Mortensen—to another term.

Now the board members are alleging that their dismissal constituted an “act of retaliation,” given that the two have disagreed with Levine on the viability of certain housing proposals in West Harlem.

In a public notice sent out on May 13, the board members wrote: ”This action can only lead us to believe we are being removed by a Borough President that has received significant contributions from the real estate lobby so as to silence the voices of our West Harlem Community. This was done with the support and urging of our local CB9 Council Member Shaun Abreu in retaliation for our positions on proposed developments at 1727 Amsterdam Ave. and 701 W. 135th St.”

Specifically, both members have spearheaded Community Board 9’s opposition to these projects. The 1727 Amsterdam Ave. proposal would involve the development of a roughly 200-unit housing complex called “Hill Top Apartments”—after demolishing the building that currently occupies the site, which houses a health clinic.

Meanwhile, developers are reportedly seeking to turn 701 W. 135th St. into a 60-unit apartment building beneath Riverside Park, which would partially hang over Amtrak tracks.

As reported on by The CITY, Waytkus showed up to a May 15 convening of CB9’s full board, where she spoke about essentially being ousted from her role just days earlier. She addressed the projects at 1727 Amsterdam Ave. and 701 W. 135th St., arguing that her criticisms of them stemmed from taking the pulse of local residents during a public comment process. “The community voted nearly unanimously that these projects were flawed or a danger” to them, she said.

At one point, Waytkus clarified that one of her main criticisms of the Hill Top Apartments proposal was that it didn’t include a “better mix of supportive and affordable housing,” and that she didn’t disagree with the creation of new housing per se.

Levine’s decision not to reappoint the two members also drew flak from other quarters; the Chelsea Reform Democratic Club (CRDC) put out a statement slamming the move: “These actions signal a troubling erosion of civic independence and a direct assault on the right to dissent—a cornerstone of any functioning democracy. The removal of dedicated volunteers because they challenge powerful development interests is a serious breach of public trust.”

Interestingly, the CRDC also called attention to Chelsea City Council Member Erik Bottcher’s decision not to reappoint Viren Brahmbhatt to Community Board 4, reportedly after Brahmbhatt took issue with plans to demolish the Fulton & Elliot-Chelsea NYCHA complex.

”We stand with Viren, Liz, Signe, and New Yorkers who speak up to advocate for the neighborhoods they call home,” the CRDC’s statement concludes.

As The CITY notes, some of the newer board members that Levine has appointed have ties to a nonprofit called Open New York, which pushes for a generalized increase in housing construction across the NYC metropolitan area.

According to their website, they identity as a “grassroots group advocating for abundant homes and lower rent. We believe in housing for all and housing of all types. That means we support more social housing, more government-subsidized housing, and more market-rate housing.”

A spokesperson for Levine’s office told The Spirit that they had “received over 950 community board applications this year, including 200-plus re-applications. While the vast majority of returning members were reappointed, reappointments are not automatic.”

“We aim for a balance of new and veteran voices and prioritize diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints. We don’t comment on individual decisions, but we deeply appreciate everyone who has served or applied—and we look forward to working with this year’s outstanding group of members,” the spokesperson added.