Queens residents struggle with gentrification, rising rents, and displacement

QUEENS (PIX11)—PIX11 News is investigating gentrification in the outer boroughs. Where is it happening? Why? And what can be done about it?

We start our series by looking at the world’s borough- Queens. Experts say gentrification in Queens will impact Long Island City, Astoria, Jackson Heights, the Rockaways, and Jamaica.

Some say rents have risen as a result. 

Zishun Ning is with the Flushing Workers Center, which helps improve conditions for workers.

He says an influx of luxury high-rises in the area has raised rents and property taxes, pushing people out.

“We’ve seen displacement happening, and it’s going to get worse,” Ning says. “We have seen small businesses shut down, tenants face eviction, or they can’t afford to stay there, so they have to move away.”

Melissa Checker is the chair of the urban studies department at Queens College. She says gentrification has pros and cons.

“A neighborhood that has been underserved and underserviced will start to get a lot of amenities it needs. Better transportation nice parks. The problem is those people who have been living there so long kind of putting up with the neighborhood when it wasn’t a nice place to live. They’re priced out,” Checker said.

Thomas Grech is with the Queens Chamber of Commerce. He says gentrification can lead to rising rents, but it can also lead to necessary growth.

“It’s kind of a rising tide lifting all boats because you need to have development,” Grech says. 

“There has to be a healthy mix. There has to be a market rate along with affordable. I don’t think we’ve figured out a balance yet. It’s a challenge.”

The Queens Borough President says he is committed to fighting the negative impacts of gentrification. One way to do this is by building more affordable housing in Queens that uses the city’s mandatory inclusionary housing policy.

The policy mandates private developers make 30 percent of units affordable in exchange for tax breaks.

Donovan Richards says, “You want to fight gentrification- the community has to be a part of the conversation. And there can be no solutions to the crisis without ensuring the people in these neighborhoods who are being driven out have a place at the table.”

In the meantime, the city says one of the main causes of displacement is rising rent, which is driven by a lack of housing. The city’s net rental vacancy rate in 2023 was 1.41%, the lowest since the 1960s.

In Queens, the rate was 0.88%. The mayor’s office says adding new housing keeps rents lower and prevents displacement, so the mayor has proposed the City of Yes plan to reform zoning laws and pushed for more city-owned land to be used for 100% affordable housing.

Still, some say that affordable housing plans must align with community needs.

“The development should be truly affordable housing- that looks at the income level of the community instead of the “so-called affordable that’s not affordable,” Zishun Ning with Flushing Workers Center says

Rebecca Schenof, 42,  lives in Long Island City. She considers herself lucky to live there.

“It’s great waterfront views. Great to run, walk the dog.”

Schenof and her husband have an apartment through the New York City housing lottery. Without the lottery, she doesn’t think they could afford it. Schenof says, “Two-bedroom apartments are twice what we pay now, so to me, that is not affordable.” She adds, “I think we’d have to downgrade our apartment.”

Schenof says regardless of what causes gentrification, it is a double-edged sword in her neighborhood.

“There’s a great opportunity with it - upgrades in the park and renovations, and everything looks nice/but I think it’s pushing out people who can’t afford it, and that’s the flip side.”

She and others say any development that does occur must be met with policy to mitigate its negative impacts.

The city is committed to ensuring its affordable housing investments include the deepest possible affordability levels. 

In the meantime, the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development says it is starting a partnership with Partners in Preservation that will set aside $4 million per year to bolster tenant support.

It is also focused on building more housing, saying 2024 saw the agency’s highest new construction production.