News

From the OUR CITY Coalition:

11/01/18

Buffalo, NY -- The city of Buffalo is currently experiencing fast-rising rents and housing prices in the midst of severe and growing poverty. New housing is being built, with generous subsidies from taxpayers, but most of it is luxury or market-rate apartments and condominiums. Far from aiding the affordability crisis, this new development is worsening it, particularly in neighborhoods such as downtown, the West Side, and the Fruit Belt, where gentrification is underway and displacement of lower-income tenants is on the rise. The real estate market is dividing Buffalo into neighborhoods of concentrated poverty, with relatively mixed income areas.

On Thursday, November 1st at 11am at the headquarters of the Partnership for the Public Good, members of the OUR CITY Coalition, in partnership with Erie County and City of Buffalo elected officials, hosted a press conference to kick off Anti-Displacement Month in Buffalo. This month is dedicated to policies and strategies, as well as cultural events that will inspire the Buffalo community to build a prosperous city for all. Cities thrive when all people can live in safe, stable, affordable home in healthy neighborhoods connected to opportunities without fear of displacement and that’s true in the “City of Good Neighbors” as well.

The OUR CITY Coalition announced several public events, including the following:

• Subsidy Tour on Friday, November 7th, 2018 from 11am-2pm, beginning at One Canalside and making stops at Campus Walk, School 77, and the historic Fruit Belt. Registration is now open on the OUR CITY Coalition’s website at www.ourcitybuffalo.org.
• Second annual Anti-Gentrification Summit on Saturday, November 17th, 2018 from 10am-3pm at East High School (820 Northampton Street, Buffalo). The Summit will feature national speakers including, Jacqueline Patterson, Director of NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, and Jumaane Williams, New York City Council Member and former candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

"I commend the organizations and my colleagues on the Erie County Legislature, specifically Majority Leader April Baskin, for shedding light on the displacement issues our residents are facing. The City has made great strides to increase the number of affordable housing units available to provide more options for displaced persons, but we also need to take steps to prevent displacement from happening in the first place, said Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader David A. Rivera. “I have received many phone calls from constituents who have seen their rent drastically rise after their home came under new ownership. People should be able to live in the neighborhood they know and we need to provide multiple options from affordable rent, to pathways to ownership, to protections for tenants and homeowners to ensure they are not unfairly being displaced."

At the Erie County Legislature, Majority Leader April Baskin led legislators in issuing a proclamation of November 2018 as Anti-Displacement Month in Erie County. Growing the network of local elected officials, city staff, and community leaders remains vital to the creation of lasting reform that is inclusive of all residents in our city.