Stop the Demolition of Public Housing in Chelsea
Mayor Zohran Mamdani
Public housing is a crucial resource for low to moderate-income New Yorkers and has been for many decades. Our NYCHA buildings and their land need to remain public. It’s what makes New York a liveable city for many low to moderate-income New Yorkers. Our NYCHA Section 9 Public Housing is the only true affordable housing we have left in the city and it must be protected along with our public land, trees and long standing community.
Petition by
To:
Mayor Zohran Mamdani
From:
[Your Name]
We are residents of the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses, along with neighbors and supporters across New York City. We are calling on Mayor Mamdani to stop NYCHA and their developer partners, Essence and Related Companies, from demolishing and privatizing our homes.
This proposal would:
Demolish and privatize 18 buildings, destroying over 2,000 public housing apartments.
Put an estimated 4,500 residents at risk of displacement.
Take at least 15 years and will force existing public housing residents to live in a demolition site.
Excavate contaminated land with arsenic, asbestos, and lead into our air!
Destroy a mature urban forest comprising 370 venerable trees.
Hand public land in Chelsea over to private developers to build luxury housing. Over 2500 units will be market rate!
This is not preservation—it is displacement, privatization, destruction, and an environmental justice disaster.
The Truth About the Demolition Proposal
NYCHA and its private partners claim demolition is necessary. But residents know the truth:
Our buildings are structurally sound, they are not “falling apart”.
Demolition will cost at least one billion more than conducting repairs.
The so-called “resident support” comes from a misleading survey with low participation.
Over 1,000 residents have signed petitions opposing demolition.
Despite this, the Mayor’s office has stated the plan should move forward—against the will of the community.
What’s at Stake
If this plan goes forward:
Public housing in Chelsea will be eliminated as converting section 9 units into project based section 8 effectively removes them from the federal public housing stock, which means that tax payer dollars go to the developer.
Residents will face years of construction, displacement, and uncertainty.
Public land will be turned into luxury housing.
A dangerous precedent will be set for both privatizing and demolishing NYCHA developments citywide.
We Demand Action
We call on Mayor Mamdani to:
STOP the demolition and privatization of Fulton & Elliott-Chelsea Houses.
STOP all evictions and forced relocations.
FUND repairs needed at the FEC houses to preserve public housing.
Stand With Us
Public housing is one of the last sources of truly affordable housing in New York City. Our community is diverse, working-class, and deeply rooted. We are fighting to stay in our homes and protect public housing.
Mayor Mamdani was elected on a promise to protect working people—not private developers. Now is the time to act.
Sign this petition to stand with Chelsea residents and defend public housing as a public good. This is a defining moment.