Nos Quedamos - Who Decides the Future of Melrose?

 

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

The Future of Melrose Is Being Decided Now

For more than 30 years, the Melrose Urban Renewal Plan has stood as one of the most powerful examples of what happens when a community leads its own future.

It is more than policy.

It is more than zoning.

It is a legacy of people power.

This plan has shaped Melrose into what it is today, protecting deeply affordable housing, preserving open space, and ensuring that development happens with the community, not to it.

But that legacy is now on a clock.

In just seven years, the Melrose Urban Renewal Plan is set to expire.

That may sound far away, but in the world of development, policy, and land use, seven years is not a long time. In fact, we are already seeing the pressure. Even with the Plan still in place, market forces are pushing in. They are testing the limits, looking for opportunities, and preparing for what comes next.

We have to be clear about what that means:

If we do nothing, the protections that have held this community together for decades can disappear.

Without the Plan:

• There are fewer limits on what can be built and where

• There is less protection for affordable housing

• There are fewer guarantees that residents will have a voice

And when those protections weaken, displacement follows. Culture erodes. Community control is lost.

If we don’t define the future of Melrose, someone else will and it won’t be with us in mind.

That is why we are acting now.

At Nos Quedamos, we are launching a long-term effort to not only protect what exists, but to build on it. Through our Melrose 2034: From Preservation to Power campaign, we are strategizing a dual district strategy that combines zoning protections with cultural recognition locking in both the physical and cultural fabric of this neighborhood.

But policy alone is not enough.

The strength of the Melrose Urban Renewal Plan has always come from the people behind it. That is why we are doubling down on organizing and working alongside residents in our developments and the broader Melrose community to build the collective power needed to shape what comes next.

We are also pushing for the resources required to make preservation real. Fighting for funding to stabilize distressed buildings, protect affordability, and hold public systems accountable.

This moment is not just about preventing loss.

It requires action, participation, and a shared commitment to carry this legacy forward.

Because this plan was never just about buildings.

It was about people.

And that is what we must continue to protect.

Interested in learning more about how we are doing this work? Reach out to us at info@nosquedamos.org and stay tuned to our IG

Youth Voices, Big Impact, Coming Your Way!

Make sure you mark our calendars because our youth are doing it again. Our 3rd annual youth symposium, Nosotros Somos la Voz - We are the Voice, is set for June 5th, from 2 pm - 6 pm at the Metropolitan College of New York (463 E 149th St, Bronx, NY 10455). You’ll hear from our amazing youth organizers sharing reflections on their experience doing community organizing, getting to participate in interactive workshops, and more!  

Interested in saving your spot? Fill out the RSVP link HERE

Nos Quedamos Inc. | 754 Melrose Avenue | Bronx, NY 10451