Fighting to Protect East New York and Cypress Hills from Gentrification

East New York was the first neighborhood rezoning launched by the de Blasio administration; area residents organized to demand deeper affordability in new development, protection for tenants and small homeowners, and preservation of industrial land and jobs. Though the Coalition for Community Advancement: Progress for Cypress Hills and East New York proposed strong anti-displacement measures and alternatives for development, the rezoning was ultimately enacted with few changes from the City’s initial proposal.

However, the Coalition won a $12 million commitment to preserve the affordability of small homes, many of whose owners struggle with predatory mortgages, water and tax debt, and harassment by speculators. Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation worked with the City to design and implement a program to deliver financial and technical assistance to homeowners, including a pilot program to legalize basement rental units on which many tenants and owners rely.