bowery

New York, November 23 2008--Chinatown residents and supporters protest the wholesale eviction of all tenants (over 50) from the SROs at 81 Bowery. According to reps of the Chinatown Tenants Union, tenants of the building had been calling the City for years about safety concerns, trying to get the City to enforce its own housing codes. The November 13 eviction is another example of displacement created by gentrification throughout Chinatown as more hotels and luxury condos ar built. SROs are the most affordable housing that exists for low income individuals. Losing SROs will result in more overcrowding in Chinatown. To join the fight for the 81 Bowery tenants right of return, or for updates, call Chinatown Tenants Union at 212-473-6485.[The above text was drawn from a flyer supplied by the CTU]

 

East 1st Street and Bowery, June 13 2008-- East Villagers vociferously protest the gentrification of the neighborhood, the so-called "redefined" Bowery (developer terminology), the proliferation of wine bars such as the one owned by Bruce Willis, sterile glass architecture typified by Avalon Chrystie Place, and rampant residential and small business evictions. The protest march continued past the former CBGBs, the Bowery Hotel, to 47 East 3rd street where a landlord couple invoked eminent domain to evict a large number of tenants and reclaim the entire building for themselves (see earlier post on this bldg on this blog), then across Tompkins Square where a French film was being shown by the Parks Dept and the French Film Office (for free) past Bill Castro who scuttled away at the sight of the protesters and on to the Christadora building.