Dozens of Sunset Park tenants rallied on Sunday for the city to implement a four-year rent freeze.
While tenants face rents rising seven times faster than wages, landlords have enjoyed a 12% increase in profits, the tenants said. The residents were joined by Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani, Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes and Council Member Alexa Avilés, according to a press release.
The rally, organized by the nonpfrofit CAAAV Voice, took place ahead of the April 30 Rent Guidelines Board's preliminary vote on rents for over two million tenants, as well as the June mayoral primary election. The action was co-sponsored by New York State Tenant Bloc, a coalition of over 250,000 tenants and tenant organizations.
“From Sunset Park to Manhattan Chinatown, thousands of working class tenants are uniting to freeze the rents for four years,” said Alina Shen, organizing director at CAAAV Voice. “As working class immigrants, we have a record of protecting our homes."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo have a record of fighting for billionaire developers who "prey on our rent money, our retirement savings and our tuition money," said Shen.
"They are simply puppets for the rich. The rise of tenant power signals the end for these establishment politicians. Rent freeze now!” she added.
Sunset Park has seen market-rate monthly rents jump to $3,000 this year, while rent-stabilized tenants have seen a 9% rent hike, according to CAAV Voice. Many tenants in the area make below the citywide median income and one-third pay over 50% of their income to rent.
“Freezing the rent for the next four years will help us preserve our community," said Joanna Ng, a CAAAV Voice youth leader and a Sunset Park resident. "It will help my friends and family afford to go to school without worrying about the next paycheck—they can just be kids."
Olivia Swisher, a middle school teacher at MS 821 Sunset Park Prep and ARISE candidate for UFT President, said the area is made up of working class families that make the city run.
"The housing crisis directly impacts our students which in turn impacts our schools," she said. "Anyone running for mayor should be in full support of a rent freeze. As a teacher and candidate for UFT President this issue is critical. The future success of our students depends on it."
Mayoral candidates Mamdani, Jessica Ramos and Michael Blake have committed to a citywide rent freeze, with Mamdani supporting a four-year freeze. Brad Lander also signalled support for a rent freeze last month.
