Upper Manhattan Residents March For Affordable Housing

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Upper Manhattan Residents March For Affordable Housing

June 11, 2006

Residents of Upper Manhattan took to the streets Saturday to demand more affordable housing.

Thousands of marchers from Washington Heights, Harlem and Inwood joined community leaders in a protest against Columbia's University's plans to expand into the neighborhood. They say Columbia's presence will lead to displaced residents and higher rent.

They also say that landlords such as the Pinnacle Group, one of the largest owners of rent-stabilized apartments in the city, are trying to kick out tenants.

"The landlords have gone ballistic in raising the rent. They have refused to repair apartments, forcing people to get out. In some cases they give you money under the table just to get tenants out to turn the buildings into co-ops and rent them to people with a lot of money, so working class New Yorkers are being pushed out of the city," said Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat.

Columbia University says only a few people actually live on the 17-acre site that is to be developed and there will be no immediate impact on them or their homes. The school says it is committed to working with concerned residents.

As for Pinnacle, the management group says it's committed to providing quality housing for New Yorkers and that it's willing to meet with any tenant group or official who has concerns.