Good Old Lower East Side

181 TENANT ASSOCIATION FIGHTS BACK

Nov 21, 2000

On September 26 there was a knock on my door. When I opened my door I saw more policeman then I had ever seen, along with officers from the Department of Buildings. They said they had an order to vacate us because the building was in danger of collapsing. They forced me to leave my home of the last 10 years. They wouldn't even let me call my husband.

The pain of being forced out of your home is unimaginable. We were not given any place to go. It was raining. The seven families who live in my building were on the street. We had no place to go. I remember when I left the building watching the police and people taking what they could carry. I thought it was a nightmare. I did not understand how this could happen. I will never be the same person again. The city ignored our humanity. Just because we do not have enough money to buy a building dose not mean we do not have dignity.

HPD has managed our building for 7 years, since the landlord lost it for not paying taxes. We had been asking for repairs for a long time. The tenants had been organizing trying to buy our building through the Tenant Interim Lease program. But the city would not work with us. When things broke in the building the tenants repaired it. I used to call the building a ghost building. It felt like the city did not want us to exist. I found out later that the week we were forced out was the same week the city had sold our building to a developer.

I think the city gives a lot of opportunities for landlords but none for the tenants. They worked with the landlord, but they do not work with us. I do not know why the city would let a developer buy the building, but they would not sell it to us. Why, is it because we are Latino?
Our home was special to me, but it is very special to my husband. He grew up there with his parents and grandparent, and both his parents died there. His family had been there for more then 30 years. At first I was ashamed to be homeless. I was in a lot emotional pain. But now I am strong. I am fighting back not just for me but for my community.

I am organizing to keep our tenant together. I have talked to the press. At first I was nervous, but I knew I had to do something. English is my second language, and I am not as comfortable speaking in English as I am in Spanish. But I talked to the press because I had to. I am not afraid any more.

I also went to my first demonstration. On October 20 I spoke at the rally in front of my building. There were about 150 people there. It felt great. I did not realize how much support I had. The city was trying to take my dignity, but my neighbors were giving it back. I felt so strong to march in the street. I made me feel that I was not alone and that good things could happen.

I am not sure who is responsible the city or the new landlord? I think both.
Since this happened to me my eyes have been opened. What happened to us was terrible, but it is not unusual. I want to help other Latino people to stay in this neighborhood. Latino people created Loisaida?— we should be able to stay here. People all over the Lower East Side are being forced out of their homes. The government is doing nothing to protect us. The developer who bought my building called it an investment. We have invested our lives in the building. What about our investment?

Developers build houses for the rich. We need to prevent them from forcing the low income and Latin community into the street.