The small community of boaters moored at Kings Plaza Shopping Center's marina in Mill Basin is facing eviction, with residents being told they must leave to make way for renovations. The decision by mall executives to unmoor the floating homes has sparked fears of displacement among the residents, many of whom say they have nowhere else to go, according to the Gothamist.
“They own the dock. We own the boats,” said Barry Green, an 80-year-old retiree who has lived on his 47-foot houseboat at the marina for 12 years. “It’s, ‘Pick up your boat and go someplace else.’ The problem is there really isn’t any place else to go."
The evictions come after Kings Plaza ended its agreement with a prior dock operator last year, leaving boaters like Green without legal rights to remain, the news site said. Without legal representation, the residents are now fighting the commercial eviction cases in Brooklyn Civil Court.
For Green, who rebuilt his houseboat from a rotting hull into a livable home, the marina offered an affordable alternative to New York City’s soaring apartment rents. Under previous management, he paid $700 a month to rent the slip. Now, he faces an uncertain future on a limited income, according to the Gothamist.
“You look in the papers and it says affordable apartments for $2,000 or $3,000 a month,” said Green. “This is affordable? For who?”
The residents’ plight underscores a growing challenge for boaters in New York City. Marinas across the five boroughs increasingly prohibit full-time residents or charge high fees, leaving boaters with few options.
In legal papers, Kings Plaza General Manager Emma Dawson said the evictions are necessary for “a scheduled renovation of the Marina.” Mall owner Macerich, a retail real estate giant, declined to comment on the decision when contacted by the publication.
Efforts to find alternative docking spaces have been stressful for many residents, with marinas lacking the infrastructure for full-time living, while others impose restrictions that are not conducive for boaters, the news site said.
The boaters at Kings Plaza represent a shrinking segment of New York City’s maritime culture, according to the Gothamist. Unlike cities such as Portland, Oregon, that embrace floating homes, New York’s 520 miles of shoreline offer little refuge for houseboat residents.
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