A land-conveyance bill grants Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps ownership of 727 Greene Avenue and unlocks $6 million in state funding to build a modern health and wellness center. Planned programming includes a community birthing center with Ancient Song Doula Services and expanded trauma-informed violence intervention and youth development with Kings Against Violence Initiative. Ownership will protect the all-volunteer ambulance force from future rent hikes and allow capital upgrades: larger classrooms for EMT training, expanded dispatch and equipment storage, and potential space for five ambulance engines. The volunteer crew responds to over 100 calls monthly and has cut ambulance wait times to about 4–5 minutes.
"BSVAC has answered the call for nearly 40 years-without the security of a permanent home. Our land-conveyance bill will finally change that: with Governor Hochul's signature, BSVAC will own 727 Greene Avenue, unlocking the $6 million in state funding I secured to build a modern health and wellness center. In partnership with Ancient Song Doula Services, we will create a community birthing center, and with Kings Against Violence Initiative, expand trauma-informed violence intervention and youth development. Together, these investments form Bed-Stuy's first holistic public-health hub-faster emergency response, trusted maternal care, workforce training, and healing spaces that strengthen safety, dignity, and community"
"Before we started the wait time for an ambulance on average was over 30 minutes and now we average 4-5 minutes," said Captain Amy Dorfman. "Currently the group cannot utilize city funds to upgrade the space as they continue to lease the space, and cannot make upgrades to certain exterior elements. The money would go to larger classrooms used to train EMTs and first responders, larger dispatch and storage size for equipment and even potentially more space to store the five ambulance engines as part of their fleet."
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