 |
 |
As a community development corporation, our work is grounded in a clear belief: housing is not just about affordability — it is about dignity, stability, and quality of life. Deep affordability must deliver safe, well-maintained homes that reflect the respect our residents deserve.
Right now, that promise is at risk.
Recent findings from the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development underscore the urgency: nonprofit and community-based owners across New York City are facing rising insurance, utility, repair, and operating costs that far outpace regulated rents. Thousands of affordable homes are under financial strain, placing decades of public investment and community ownership at risk of deterioration or loss.
Preservation is not secondary to development. It is a frontline housing justice strategy.
Across the city, families live in buildings created to be affordable but without the resources required to sustain them. Without targeted intervention, these homes fall into disrepair or become vulnerable to speculation and displacement. Losing this housing stock would reverse years of progress and destabilize the very communities these programs were designed to protect.
At We Stay/Nos Quedamos, we are taking a proactive stance. We continue to call on city and state partners to treat preservation as essential infrastructure and to invest accordingly. The homes our communities fought to build must not be allowed to fail. Sustained public investment, clear accountability, and true partnership are necessary to keep these buildings deeply affordable, resident-centered, and permanently protected.
We are also moving from advocacy to action — diligently working in partnership with our property management team to strengthen our portfolio, advancing long-term sustainability strategies, and working with partners to secure the policy and funding tools required to safeguard existing housing now, not later.
This moment calls for collective leadership. We invite fellow community-based organizations, advocates, and public agencies to align around preservation as a top priority. By coordinating strategies, sharing solutions, and pushing for smarter, sustainable policy, we can protect what already exists while expanding what’s possible.
When we preserve housing with intention, we preserve community, culture, and opportunity.
This is the work in front of us — and we are committed to leading it.
 |
Cohort 5 Launches This March — Meet Our Next Generation of Community Leaders
This March, we will be proud to welcome Cohort 5 of the NQ Youth Organizing Fellowship — a growing pipeline of young leaders stepping up to shape the future of Melrose and beyond.
More than an internship, this is a hands-on leadership experience rooted in community power, housing justice, and neighborhood advocacy. Our fellows don’t just learn about change — they lead it.
Throughout the spring, Youth Organizers will work side by side with our Civic Engagement Fellow, Housing Organizer, and Resiliency team to protect and strengthen deeply affordable housing and advance climate justice across our community.
They will:
• Lead community workshops and conversations
• Organize residents and build neighborhood power
• Support outreach through canvassing and phone banking
• Learn the history and legacy of the Melrose Urban Renewal Plan
• Turn knowledge into action through real-world organizing
Every step of the way, they’re building skills, confidence, and leadership — while making a tangible impact in the neighborhoods they call home.
Stay tuned. The next generation of community leadership starts here.
 | The Countdown to Community In a moment when so much feels uncertain, from housing and climate to food access and beyond, there is no better time to come together as a community. On March 21st, we kick off the spring with our annual Melrose Spring Equinox Celebration, themed Spring into Action. This gathering is about more than welcoming a new season. It’s about reconnecting with one another, grounding ourselves in shared purpose, and reminding ourselves that real change happens when we show up together. The day will include live performances, connections with community partners leading powerful work, and space to learn, reflect, and imagine what’s possible when the community leads. We invite you to get involved, bring a neighbor, and be part of the collective energy needed to move us forward. Spring is coming and so is the moment to act. Click the link below to RSVP because you won’t want to miss out! |
No comments:
Post a Comment