August 21, 2020
Hundreds of tenants and housing activists gathered yesterday afternoon in front of the main NYPL branch on 5th Avenue. The library itself remains closed for the pandemic, but the steps outside were available for this mobilization.
Because of economic conditions caused by mandated shutdowns, millions of New Yorkers are out of work and many are facing eviction. Met Council on Housing called this rally to demand emergency rent cancellation to avert a wave of evictions and resulting homelessness.
A number of other community groups were also on hand at Thursday’s rally, among them were: GOLES (Good Old Lower East Side), CASA (Community Action for Safe Apartments), NY Communities for Change, and Make the Road NY. They carried signs stating, “Our Mission: No Eviction“, “Housing Is Racial Justice“, “Pay Your Fair Share“, “Rent Is Theft“, “Cancelar Renta“, “End Homeless Crisis“, “Stop Evictions“, and “Housing Is a Human Right.”
Speakers pointed out that there are thousands of vacant units and thousands of homeless and that evictions will increase both. NYS Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and Senator Robert Jackson addressed the crowd from atop the library steps and called for tenant protections that go beyond the temporary eviction moratorium. “You are what landlords fear,” Rosenthal informed the activists.
Other featured speakers included Marisol Morales (CASA Bx), Maria Najera (MTR Bushwick), Assembly Member Karines Reyes, Danelly Rodriguez (NYC-DSA), Delsenia Glover (Public Advocate), Felix Guzman (VOCAL NY), Ahmad & Leanne (Youth Action for Housing), Lisa Macauley (Met Council on Housing) and Dorisela Hernandez (NYCC) according to a program shared with the Gazette.
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