BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — AN INTERFAITH RALLY on Wednesday morning launched a citywide campaign boosting Black homeownership and neighborhood stability. However, the group, which promotes what they call the Black Homeowners Agenda, appears to be at odds with another coalition over a City Council bill on short-term rent regulations – even though both groups express similar goals.
Faith leaders, homeowners, housing advocates and community organizations on Wednesday officially launched the Black Homeowners Agenda, a campaign dedicated to supporting Black homeownership in neighborhoods facing displacement pressures. They have raised concerns over a Council bill that they say would weaken the city’s short-term rental enforcement and regulations, including rules that have curtailed the expansion of Airbnb-style rentals in residential communities.
Last week, Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse, a southeastern-Brooklyn Democrat, presented the bill, Intro 0879, legislation to loosen the restrictions on short-term rentals, which Narcisse said is intended to help owners meet household expenses. A group of clergy signed a letter to Council Speaker Julie Menin urging that bill’s passage.
The BHA campaign, however, believes that loosening these restrictions would actually threaten housing stability in historically Black neighborhoods, arguing it could incentivize speculative investment, remove housing from the long-term market, increase pressure on homeowners and undermine community cohesion.
Spearheading the rally were the Rev. Dr. Robert Waterman of Antioch Baptist Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Rabbi Rachel Timoner, senior rabbi of Congregation Beth Elohim, a Reform Jewish temple in Park Slope.
Among the participating groups were the Legal Aid Society, New York Communities for Change, Neighbors Not Profits and other partner organizations.
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