As the pandemic continues, the need for housing justice remains urgent; we must recognize that the denial of resources for survival and quality of life is a form of racist violence. In recent weeks, this issue has intensified on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (UWS), where one of NYC's most affluent neighborhoods is divided over the presence of several hundred homeless people placed in three local hotels.
The placement was part of a city-wide effort to move 10,000 people experiencing homelessness from dorm-style shelters, where residents face a 60% higher rate of positive COVID cases than in the general population. And while NYC's population is 24.3% Black, 29.1% Latinx, and 32.1% white, its homeless population is 58% Black, 31% Latinx, and 7% white, creating a contentious debate around race in a neighborhood that has historically resisted affordable housing.
Some UWS residents have aggressively pushed back against this housing initiative on social media, using damaging myths about homelessness to support their agenda. A Facebook page called Upper West Siders for Safer Streets features a slew of disturbing, racist statements about the new hotel residents, referring to them as creatures, animals, and subhuman-- with calls to animal control to “clean up the neighborhood.” The group garners support with false crime and sex offender statistics while suggesting vile, dehumanizing deterrent strategies such as leaving excrement on park benches. Rather than a compassionate response or efforts to pool wealth/resources into humane solutions, there have been callous, victim-blaming calls for displacement, with hotel residents even being harassed in the street.
The West Side Community Organization has raised $100,000 via GoFundMe, hired an ex-Giuliani aid, and threatened a lawsuit against the city demanding the removal of the hotel residents. While DeBlasio has previously said that homeless folks would not be moved back to shelters until there is a vaccine, he and other elected officials are caving to pressure to return them sooner, though with no firm timeline in place. Should the hotel residents be moved back, the Legal Aid Society is threatening a lawsuit against the city in response.
Given the significant racial disproportion of our homeless population, this issue is part of a bigger picture of housing discrimination amongst investors and urban planners. Though accusations of racism have been met with complete denial, cries for "not in my neighborhood" (NIMBY) and gated community policies are racist.
Housing is a basic right. As white people in NYC, we must be aware of in our role in gentrification and housing discrimination against both the homeless and BIPOC. To “other” marginalized groups who lack the support needed to survive is to further white supremacy and cause harm against us all.
This week, we urge you to speak out and support by:
Reading and signing the UWS Strong open letter to the mayor! Volunteer to help out, share with neighbors in your building/area, and join the UWS Open Hearts Facebook group.
Contacting UWS elected officials. Join the phone/email zap to cancel rent and house the homeless by clicking here for a handy call tool. You can also find elected officials who represent the UWS here and sample scripts below to call, tweet, and email.
Emailing surjuws@gmail.com to join SURJ Upper West Side residents in ongoing support of housing and racial justice on the UWS. And if you’re interested in housing justice across NYC, join SURJ NYC’s Housing Justice Working Group or a Housing Action team for your neighborhood.
Until next week, may we continue to learn and take action on behalf of all New Yorkers.
In solidarity,
SURJ NYC