BHA Annual Meeting Open Thread

It has been my experience that The BHA is solely concerned with the interests of those living along the promenade. They seem to have outright disdain for residents south of Remsen, as if we were not even part of their neighborhood.

Maybe this doesn’t belong, but where is the meeting? Is it open to the public and can I get seating?

DB- I’m not a wild supporter of the BHA; but I’m not sure their interests are so limited (and Judy Stanton does live on Garden Place, which is south of Remsen).

oh for goodness sake, the BHA is not a private club, anyone can join and participate. Grace Church is welcoming to all as well. Its not surprising that many of these memebers would also be apart of the Casino as its a neighborhood instituion (albeit a private one) and be interested enough in their community to get involved in the BBP conservancy. The imagined class warfare here sometimes is just silly. Anon, if you are the future, what are you doing for the neighborhood?

the bha is the only reason for private housing in a public park
these are people who want to privitize and control who comes into their neighborhood. Kind of like an old fashioned
citizens organization – in the south.

i’ve lived all over the world, and have felt more welcomed most everywhere else than I have here in Bklyn Heights (the exception was when I lived in a small town in the Southern U.S.) . The general vibe here is one of small town snobbery — grownups in their forties who still socialize mostly with the kids (now also grownups) with whom they went to St. Ann’s and Packer — grownups who don’t know how, or perhaps don’t care to — be welcoming of those who came here from elsewhere, and whose backgrounds are unlike theirs. It makes for a dull and insular society. There are exceptions, of course — individuals who break the mold, who are creative and open-minded. But, in general, this is the gestalt here. Perhaps it feels very comfortable to those who live within it and have never known another way to live; but to those of us who have lived in truly vibrant and welcoming places, our community here, by necessity, is formed apart from this insular Brooklyn Heights world — i.e. it becomes necessary to go quite a bit further afield.

many of the people I speak with do not have good things to say about the BHA. I think the group has a knack for turning people off and alianating them. Strange for a neighborhood group.

This blog attracts little else but negativity. Nonetheless, naysayers whose snide remarks about the BHA are misinformed might find out more about the organization by attending the annual meeting to which all are welcome. It’s open to the public and is being held at Plymouth Church, which seats hundreds.

I find it so fascinating to read these entries from folks who criticize the BHA and the Brooklyn Heights community. True to form, people draw wide ranging conclusions from the just a few experiences or self-perceptions about others, without really knowing. I have lived here twenty years. As a gay man, I had no connection to this neighborhood in my first few years other than enjoying living in a beautiful place. It wasn’t until I got involved in the community that I began meeting and socializing with my neighbors, many of whom live different lives than I do, but share a common public interest in ensuring that BH is a safe, welcoming, enjoyable place to live. I am not a member of the Casino or have kids to send to St. Ann’s or Packer, but I feel like I belong because I claim this neighborhood as my own and have made many friends here. For those who are complaining, get out of your home, contribute to the well-being of the neighoborhood by getting involved and start extending your own hand in friendship. Get off the blog and get involved.

Will they address all those damn kids on their lawn?

Homer, I think it’s a little odd you think they’re out of touch since they won’t come to YOU and your blog.

Why not go to them. I know they’d be thrilled if you would volunteer to arrange a webcast. It is a volunteer organization. And I’m not sure but it sounds like you’ve never been to one of their meetings since there will be time for questions. There usually is.

I’m part of a “younger” generation I guess, but I do realize there are times you have to get out from behind a computer and join your neighbors.

To another point, I have children involved in these private institutions and there is not one parent in the group who is from Brooklyn Heights. It may be true that an older generation generally socializes with the friends they’ve had for 20, 30, 50 years now, the younger families are not as provincial as was stated here.

Lastly, Brooklyn Heights would not be Brooklyn Heights without the BHA. I’d have more respect for the people bashing them now if they’d at least own up to the debt we all owe them

I’m astounded by the folks who complain of general elitism here.

BH is indeed an upper-middle class community. It is that by definition. It has a degree of cultural heterogeneity, but is manifestly a compound of the well-to-do.

This does not, however, and in my experience, mean that it is insular-snobbish. Speaking personally, BH has been no less welcoming to me, a two-year resident here, than any other community I’ve lived in.

To feel a part of something one must often join-in–or reach out. For me, posting here has been one way to feel that I’m part of a community. There are numerous other ways to feel that one belongs.

ABC – you’re welcome to contribute.