Southeast Queens Leaders Rally in
Albany Against 57% Housing Cost Hike
Albany, NY — Two busloads of passionate Southeast Queens residents from Rochdale Village, joined by local elected officials and advocates, traveled to the New York State Capitol on Tuesday to demand urgent legislative and budgetary action to save Rochdale Village—a Mitchell-Lama community now facing a crushing 57% increase in carrying charges.
“This must not stand,” said State Senator James Sanders Jr. of the 10th Senate District. “I wish that I could say they were just tourists coming to visit the State Capitol—but no, what has brought them together is that number: 57. Fifty-seven. A 57 percent increase in carrying charges, which means basically, in layman's terms, that your rent has went up 57 percent. That means we have made one of the most premier places in America unaffordable. On a personal level, I have not come to Albany to lose. I did not come here to lose Rochdale. I’m messed up and I’m mad. As I see the Governor there in the back, I want to mention that we must do something about this. These people are too good of a people to have out in the street. We are not going to see that happen.”
