Brooklyn housing development tenants demand safer basketball court
Community members say the problems extend beyond aesthetics. One resident has launched a petition citing poor lighting and limited security, arguing the area has become unsafe and unusable, particularly for children.
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At the Marcus Garvey Houses in Brooklyn, residents say a once-active basketball court has fallen into disrepair, marked by cracked pavement, missing nets, scattered trash, overgrown weeds and reports of unsafe conditions that have persisted for months.
Above the court, netless hoops hang over a surface residents describe as increasingly hazardous and neglected.
“I used to play out here - now I go other places to play,” said Roger, a resident. "The conditions is bad, man. They need to fix the courts.”
Community members say the problems extend beyond aesthetics. One resident has launched a petition citing poor lighting and limited security, arguing the area has become unsafe and unusable, particularly for children.
“Drinking, fighting, shooting dice, gun shots, stabbing - just all kinds of ruckus,” said Will, a resident. “When the kids come in in the morning, they got all that broken glass from all the bottles.”
Another resident, Demi Jones, said the space should be better maintained for young people in the community.
“We would love for the city to come out and just put a little bit more love and care into the space where the children will be,” she said.
Within an hour of News 12 speaking with the building’s superintendent, the maintenance crew arrived on site to begin work, including weed-whacking, fence repairs and preparation for repainting the court.
“It’s good that they doing it today,” said resident John. “Fixing the gates, putting it down so the kids won’t hurt themselves over there.”
In response to the concerns, the New York City Housing Authority told News 12 that it is “currently assessing” the court and working to secure funding for further repairs.
Residents say they are hopeful the initial cleanup signals longer-term improvements, but emphasize that sustained maintenance and safety measures are still urgently needed to restore the space.
