Help Dorca Move into Safe Housing!

If you’re a part of the tenant movement in New York City, there’s a good chance that you already know Dorca- she is a tireless fighter and organizer in her building, her neighborhood/community, and at the city and state level. For years she has stood with us, and now it’s our turn to support her.

Just a few examples of Dorca’s organizing and fighting with the tenant movement in recent years:

https://www.cityandstateny.com/policy/2023/02/ny-democratic-party-ready-stop-ignoring-renters/383121/

https://citylimits.org/2023/03/15/housing-policy-faultlines-emerge-ahead-of-final-albany-budget-deal/

https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy37wq/tenants-shut-down-brooklyn-bridge-to-protest-predatory-landlords

https://ny1.com/nyc/manhattan/news/2022/10/08/inwood-tenants-say-warehoused-apartments-are-safety-risk

Dorca is currently facing eviction from her Inwood apartment where she has lived for 26 years- she does not have a lease and her last rent increase was 100%! Massive rent increases such as this one are not only disgusting, but also one of the many tools landlords have at their disposal to force tenants, especially long-term tenants like Dorca, out of their homes and communities. The landlord, David Israel, has been pushing tenants out of the building for a decade through neglect, raising rents,and warehousing the units- around two thirds of the building is now vacant as a result of the landlord’s tactics.

Dorca started organizing in her building in 2019, involving neighbors in the fight for better conditions and affordable housing. In addition to organizing the tenant association in her building and fighting alongside her neighbor for better conditions and affordable housing, she has been involved in campaigns including; Cancel Rent, the Eviction Moratorium, Good Cause, HAVP, the Rent Justice Coalition, and more. She has also supported community members in Northern Manhattan with organizing their own TAs.

Her Inwood building has been all but emptied out, and the living conditions are no longer safe, healthy, or sustainable. An opportunity arose, and Dorca will be moving into a Mitchell Lama apartment in Manhattan. While sad to be leaving her home of 26 years, she initially felt relief at the prospect of living in a safe, well-maintained apartment. After signing her new lease, however, to her dismay she discovered that there are significant issues with her new apartment rendering it currently uninhabitable- the sink fixtures are broken, the wood on the cabinets are rotten from water damage and there is water damage on the wall behind the sink which has led to significant mold. Additionally, the wood floor in the hallway and bathroom are detached from the floor itself and the kitchen floor has three overlapping, visible layers of vinyl/linoleum on it.

Because of these issues, Dorca is now in limbo- stuck in the unsafe conditions of her old apartment and unable to move into her new one.

This is where we can help!

After speaking with multiple contractors, the quotes Dorca is receiving to address the major issues in her new apartment- namely, to get the kitchen functioning and habitable- are $5000. Any amount you may be able to give will help Dorca move into her new apartment.

We know that the long term answer to the unsafe and unaffordable conditions that millions of New Yorkers face is social housing for all- let’s help Dorca move into her new apartment so that she can continue to be an integral part of that fight!

Solidarity forever