In the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Bushwick, grassroots tenant groups are forming to combat the threats of eviction, worsening living conditions, and rising rents. Many residents, including those with disabilities and seniors facing financial distress, have been supported by community organizers who have played a vital role in helping them retain their homes. Over the last two decades, significant demographic shifts caused by soaring rents have led to a drastic decrease in the Hispanic population, highlighting the urgency of collective action to maintain the area's cultural identity.
"Organizing allows people to stay in their home, gives them motivation to not only fight to stay, but also to fight to change," Amy Collado, tenant advocate.
Data from the NYU Furman Center shows that Bushwick's population changed from 67.8 percent Hispanic in 2000 to only 42.6 percent in 2022.
Threats of evictions, poor conditions, and rent hikes amid rapid gentrification in Bushwick have catalyzed numerous newly-formed, or newly-reformed, grassroots tenant organizations.
Skyrocketing rents have displaced many poorer non-white residents, with the neighborhood's Hispanic population plummeting over the past two decades.
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