Jackson Heights Life

Down with Sears 

What do you think about our District Council, Helen Sears.  I have an impression that she really doesn't work hard to improve the quality of life for residents in Jackson Heights.  She is rather interested in serving for group that provides her campaign funds.

I was reading the The Jackson Heights Community Journal and found out the issue about demolition of historical house on 74th street and 34th ave.  According to the Journal, Jackson Heights Beatification Group tried contacting to discuss the impending of the demolition and she ignored the request, which is not surprising considering that a large portion of her campaign funds in the past have come from real estate developers. 

Another thing I have heard is about the congestion problem on 37th ave and 73rd street.  The community have been asking for change to Ms. Sears for almost decade and she has done nothing.  Finally, The Western Jackson Heights Alliance was formed to deal with this issue asking controlling the business development of the area which is causing traffic congestion and noise pollution.   I heard that she has been very uncooperative with the organization.  This is no surprising either because she got funds from Merchants on 73rd and 74th street.

what do you think about this?  Do we have any power to ask for resignation because of her attitude toward community??

well, can't wait till 2009.  We really need a new district council person who works for JH RIGHT NOW otherwise, Jackson Heights will be overdeveloped and the quality of life go down!! :tickedoff:

Just to let you know..

I have nothing to do with the Journal.  I am just one of many residents who are frustrated with our District Council who has done nothing for us.  I also found through this forum that she also intervened to form BDI on 74th street, which could have helped cleaning up the filthy streets.  Again, she only works for people who give money. 

I'm not a fan, either.  But why the sudden and urgent interest in a recall?  Why not focus on ensuring that we choose a better representative in the 2009 election?  Beyond what you've written about already, is there something currently happening that requires immediate action?

I can talk about my own experience with Ms. Helen Sears.  I attended one of the meetings for Western Jackson Heights Alliance and she was there.  I had a chance to talk to her after the meeting was over.  At that time, I was concerned about the filthiness on the 73rd street between 37th ave and 37th road.  There are a couple of 24 hours open stores there and people hang around there and they often just throw garbage on the street.  So, I asked her if she can put trash can in the spot where people hang out.  She told me something like "I likes the idea but to do this, you have to do blah, blah, blah..."  and basically she was saying it is not easy to do and she is not sure if she can do it.  So, after that I decided to call the Sanitation department directly and ask to put a trash can.  Guess what happens..  About two weeks later, two trash cans were installed.

So, what was all things Ms. Sears said to me then??  Wasn't it supposed to be difficult even with the power of district council??  I really believe that if she works harder for our community, the filthiness issue on 73rd and 74 street between 37th Ave and 37th Road could have been much improved.


From what I have seen at community meetings I have attended, many long time residents of JH expressed their frustration about her doing nothing for residents. So, it is not just a few people.  I really think people in JH should consider recall her or take immediate action against her before our environment got worse I understand.  I don't think it is a good idea to wait until 2009 because she is going to bring more traffic congestion to our neighborhood.   

As evidenced by the building that was torn down on 74th & 34th --

I can't believe permits were granted to have this house torn down, clearly someone (s) are asleep at the wheel. Does anyone know how/why that project got approved? 

I had been thinking about starting a new thread regarding zoning, but since you mention it here I thought I'd post that Helen Sears commissioned a zoning study recently.   I've heard its completed, although no one from her office has responded to my inquiries yet.  This part of the study, as far as I understand, was focused on the commercial district of 73rd/74th street because the current zoning there (C4-3) allows for a pretty high density of building and development, and there are plans underway to take advantage of that.  They just started tearing down one of the few remaining homes on 73rd Street bet. 37th and B'way, and I would imagine there's a relatively big building going in there.  Also, last I heard plans were approved to add multiple stories to the current one story buildings on the corner of 73rd and 37th.  These are in addition to the 7 story building on that block that just about finished.

I can understand if most people in JH are not too interested in that block since they don't live near it and it's not so close to the precious historic district, but rampant irresponsible development there does seem to me to set an ominous precedent for the rest of the neighborhood.  If not many people object now, it would be hard to make a case for caring about other parts later. 

Interested parties shouldn't waste time with the JHBG, they should write directly to Amanda Burden, the City Planning Commissioner and Council member Tony Avela, chair of the zoning committee.  I suppose a copy to Helen Sears wouldn't hurt so she knows people are serious.