A plan to bring affordable housing to a historic district in Bed-Stuy is drawing community backlash.

Residents said they are frustrated after learning a multistory building with 240 affordable units is slated to be built on top of the parking lot at the Brooklyn Adult Learning Center at 475 Nostrand Ave.

"Everyone was livid and many of our neighbors still don't know," said Omar Walker with the 200 Jefferson Block Association.

It's publicly owned land in a Brownstone-lined neighborhood.

"A 200 unit building on this site would really density this neighborhood in an unhealthy way," said Walker.

He said there was little to no communication with residents who live in the area.

"Notices were sent out to the community board, to the community as a whole," said Councilmember Chi Ossé, District 36. "We sent it out through our newsletter as well as our social media."

Community members have launched a petition to fight the affordable housing which we learned was added to the Atlantic Avenue Mixed Use Plan (AAMUP) in December, the plan approved by city council in May.

Ossé said he's been involved with planning AAMUP for two years and said he's heard an overwhelming response from residents who want more affordable housing.

"I'm doing what I can do in my control, and that's activating a city owned site as a city official and making sure that deeply affordable housing is going to be built there," he said.

Rafael Weil lives directly across the street from the proposed housing location.

"While we support affordable housing and fully support the project, I just don't think this is the right lot for it," he said. "We need a place to breathe."

Weil said he would rather see the site turned into a park or green space.

Walker said the city should instead utilize vacant buildings in the area to build affordable housing rather than build buildings that he believes do not fit in with the character of the community.

"There are creative ways to accomplish what is needed here, whether it's adaptive reuse of existing spaces which there's an abundance of in this community," said Walker. "Ground up construction takes a long time."

While the plan is approved, Ossé said what the building will look like is not decided.

He said he is still taking public feedback and expects public meetings on the plan to start in 2027.

There is no date on when construction might begin.