The Legal Aid Society just announced a property tax exemption has been secured for the Brooklyn headquarters of the United Order of Tents. The United Order of Tents is the oldest Black women’s benevolent society in the United States.
This tax exemption will save the mansion from demolition and allow the organization to proceed with the renovations and continue their operations providing critical services to local residents.
“Our Bedford-Stuyvesant headquarters has served the community for over 75 years," said Essie Gregory, President of the United Order of Tents, Brooklyn. "With this tax exemption, we will be able to continue our legacy for many more years to come. As our organization evolves and recruitment grows, we are excited for the next chapter of the United Order of Tents and the new mark on history we will create."
The United Order of Tents is recognized as an organization with significant African American heritage. In October 2022, Legal Aid filed litigation against the New York City Department of Finance for denying the United Order of Tents an exemption from real property tax, despite the organization’s status as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit.
The DOF erroneously believed that the headquarters was vacant, even after Legal Aid attorneys established otherwise. Beginning in 2019, the building fell into some disrepair as a result of mandatory stay-at-home and social distancing orders which forced members of the organization to meet virtually to avoid the spread of COVID-19, hampering their ability to care for the mansion’s needs.
On June 16, 2023, after several years of advocacy from Legal Aid’s Community Development Project on behalf of the United Order of Tents, DOF announced that the Tents’ application for Real Estate Tax Exemption for Nonprofit Organizations was approved, affording the organization the opportunity to seek grants for historic preservation that would enable rehabilitation of the premises.
“We are elated that the City finally agreed to grant the United Order of Tents this exemption to remain in their historic Bed-Stuy headquarters, serving the community for New Yorkers in need,” said Jacques David, senior staff attorney in the Community Development Project at The Legal Aid Society.
“The historical importance of this organization and their cultural heritage cannot be understated, and we thank the many elected officials, including Council Member Justice Brannan, who offered their support to help preserve this vital landmark.”
