Residents at Rochdale Village, one of many largest Mitchell-Lama co-op housing complexes within the nation, staged a protest Sunday towards proposed fee hikes that would rise as excessive as 30%.
Residents on Sept. 7 gathered on the Rochdale Park basketball courts towards the backdrop of the Rochdale Village Annual Fall Pageant to voice considerations about “draconian and unjust” fee hikes on the large reasonably priced housing complicated, which is house to roughly 25,000 individuals.
Rochdale Village is a relic of the state’s Mitchell-Lama program, launched in 1955, which offered reasonably priced housing for middle-income households by inserting earnings caps on those that can buy houses and by limiting how a lot a unit might be bought for.
At Rochdale Village, residents sometimes pay a purchase order worth of as much as $23,000 earlier than paying common month-to-month upkeep prices ranging between $1,000 and $1,800, in line with a June report in Gothamist.
However the 5,860-unit complicated, like many different Mitchell-Lama complexes within the metropolis, is presently dealing with a myriad of economic issues, together with rising money owed and insurance coverage charges in addition to mounting repairs and upkeep prices.
Residents attribute the rising prices to the complicated’s all-volunteer board and Summit Property Administration, the personal firm that oversees the Rochdale Village complicated.
Gothamist reported earlier within the 12 months that the sprawling complicated is dealing with an $11.4 million shortfall subsequent 12 months, with the volunteer board approving a 22.3% fee hike in January 2025 to fight that shortfall.
Residents now say New York State’s Division of Housing and Group Renewal (DHCR), which reviewed that call, has proposed between 22-30% will increase in costs.
In addition they alleged that the company floated a fee hike of as much as 57% however mentioned this was a worst-case situation moderately than a proper proposal.
Residents, in the meantime, have blamed Summit for failing to pay water payments relationship again to late 2020, leaving residents dealing with virtually $17 million in unpaid water payments. They additional accused the property administration firm of offering “sweetheart” business leases to banks and supermarkets and mentioned there’s a $195 million “predatory” mortgage that has ballooned debt on the complicated.
‘We can’t belief this administration firm’
On Sept. 7, just a few dozen residents gathered to protest towards touted fee hikes, holding indicators similar to “30% hike = Lack of Oversight” and “The Math Ain’t Mathing = Send Summit Packing.”
Tenants of Rochdale Village rally towards proposed lease hikes throughout an indication on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. Photograph: Paul Frangipane.
Nonetheless, protesters expressed frustration that extra residents didn’t end up for the occasion given the “significance” of the problem.
Some protesters additionally criticized elected officers for failing to look on the occasion after organizers invited Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, State Sen. James Sanders Jr. and Meeting Member Zohran Mamdani to attend the rally.
Rodney Reid, a 40-year Rochdale Village shareholder and a former chairman of the volunteer board, took intention at elected officers for failing to affix Sunday’s demonstration and known as for a extra vocal protest towards a possible 30% fee hike. He argued {that a} 3% hike for town’s lease stabilized residences is met with extra opposition and concern than a possible 30% hike at Rochdale Village.
“The city went up in arms over a 3% increase for rent-stabilized apartments,” Reid mentioned on the protest. “Nobody is saying nothing about a 30 percent increase. We need to come and collectively have our voices heard.”
Reid added that residents are calling for any potential hike to be frozen till “full accountability” is launched at Rochdale Village. He known as on the State’s Properties and Group Renewal (HCR), which oversees DHCR, to conduct a forensic audit of Rochdale Village’s funds.
“We can’t trust this management company with any more money. They misuse it,” Reid alleged at Sunday’s protest.
John Ferretti, a resident at Rochdale Village, mentioned proposed hikes would put a “huge hole” in his funds however insisted that he and his spouse would “find a way.”
“What I’m really more concerned about is the people who won’t find a way, the people who are already falling behind on the carrying charges that we currently have,” Ferretti mentioned.
‘Where am I going to go’
Celeste Reed, who moved to the Mitchell-Lama complicated in 2013, mentioned she has only recently misplaced her job and mentioned she can be “priced out” of Rochdale Village if the proposed will increase went into impact. She mentioned a 30% enhance interprets into a further $378 per 30 days in charges.
Reid mentioned she has struggled to discover a new job attributable to her age and added {that a} job paying $25 per hour would nearly cowl her present bills on the complicated. A 30% enhance would successfully displace her, she mentioned.
“I would be priced out of this place, and where am I going to go?” Reed mentioned.
Fellow resident Cynthia Horner mentioned many individuals who moved to Rochdale have been beneath the impression that they might finally be capable to depart their house to their kids, describing the Mitchell-Lama complicated as a resident’s “definition of generational wealth.”
Nonetheless, she mentioned proposed will increase would displace many residents who presently name Rochdale Village house.
“They’re not going to have that (generational wealth) because first of all, many of these people are going to have to move,” Horner mentioned. “There is absolutely no way that some of these people are going to be able to pay (30%) more a month on a fixed income.”
‘Severe financial challenges’
Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose district covers Rochdale Village, mentioned the complicated has served as an “affordable housing and homeownership hub” for Southeast Queens for many years.
“Like other Mitchell-Lama developments across New York City, Rochdale Village is facing severe financial challenges from accumulating building capital and maintenance costs that threaten affordability for residents,” Adams mentioned in an announcement.
Adams, who was not particularly invited to Sunday’s protest, famous that Mitchell-Lama is a state program, with developments requiring interventions from the state to resolve their monetary challenges.
Nonetheless, she mentioned she has fought to safe Metropolis Council funding and help to assist Rochdale Village and different Mitchell-Lama developments, together with $7 million in funding for facade restoration and $17 million for native parks, faculty and public security infrastructure.
‘Laser-focused’
In the meantime, a HCR spokesperson mentioned Gov. Kathy Hochul stays “laser-focused” on making New York extra reasonably priced, stating that the Governor has included “much-needed relief” to Mitchell-Lama developments. That reduction has included measures similar to chopping Mitchell-Lama shelter lease taxes in half and banning “discriminatory practices” for reasonably priced housing insurance coverage premiums, the HCR spokesperson added.
“Additionally, the state advocated to remove tax liens and enter a payment plan with the NYC Water board to allow arrears repayment over 10 years,” a HCR spokesperson mentioned. “Rochdale Village is a privately-owned and managed co-op and is governed by a board of directors that are elected by its cooperators.”
Sanders, who has not but returned a request for remark, didn’t seem at Sunday’s protest however has beforehand met residents in his Albany workplace concerning the difficulty. The State Senator expressed anger and frustration concerning the monetary disaster dealing with Rochdale Village and mentioned the proposed hikes would make the complicated “unaffordable.”
“I did not come here to lose Rochdale,” Sanders mentioned in June. “These people are too good of a people to have out in the street. We are not going to see that happen.”
Summit Property Administration didn’t return a request for remark.
