Q&A

CM Mealy questions OPHC on Brooklyn programming coverage gaps

New York City Council · Jun 23, 2026 · starts 0:57:09 · 1 min 59 sec

CM Mealy challenges OPHC's claim of coverage in her district covering Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, and Crown Heights, saying the God Squad only holds one or two meetings there. Ramjatin clarifies the six anchor organizations and their sub-vendors operate citywide, with significant Brooklyn programming.

Darlene Mealy

Do you know I cover 67%?

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Pardon me?

Darlene Mealy

I cover 67% of God's squad.

Darlene Mealy

But that's in Crown Heights, East Flatbush.

Darlene Mealy

I have a big part of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, East New York, Ocean Hill.

Darlene Mealy

Half of those programs do not come into that area.

Darlene Mealy

God Squad don't really talk to the pastors there.

Darlene Mealy

They have one or two meetings and that's it.

Darlene Mealy

So I hope going forward, I definitely want to know where these six programs come from.

Darlene Mealy

You said 67th.

Darlene Mealy

And where is the one in the middle?

Darlene Mealy

East Flatbush?

Darlene Mealy

No, ABC?

Darlene Mealy

No.

Darlene Mealy

What is your six anchor organizations?

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

So we have the COD squad, the 67th Patient Culture Council.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

We have Asian American Federation.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

We have Arab American Association of New York.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

We have the Hispanic Federation, the Anti-Violence Project.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Yeah.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

And JCRC.

Darlene Mealy

Okay.

Darlene Mealy

Which one of them are in?

Darlene Mealy

Like Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

So of the 51...

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Council districts in the city, we are in half of them across the city.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

We are in half of them across the city, and we have a lot of our programming in Brooklyn.

Darlene Mealy

So 67 precincts for practically all Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, East New York, Crown Heights, Canarsie.

Darlene Mealy

Yeah, they really do Canarsie.

Darlene Mealy

Bushwick.

Darlene Mealy

That's what you're saying?

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Yeah, so they're the anchor partner.

Darlene Mealy

And I have one more question.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

And then they have sub-vendors, right?

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

So they have different, like six sub-vendors that are citywide.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

So while they may be based in Brooklyn, the programming takes place across the city, and the same is true for all the other organizations as well.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

The programming takes place across the city on all five boroughs, regardless of where they're based in.

Member of the Public - Vijay Ramjatin

Our request for each of these organizations is to make sure the programming is not only centered in the community, but also make sure that diversity is within the portfolio as well.