Categories: Funding, Network Events
03.24.2025
On March 21st the Network hosted a #HandsOffHousing Rally with a coalition of housing advocates and tenant leaders on the steps of City Hall to demand that DOGE halt its attempts to gut HUD and rollback critical housing funding.
Over one million New Yorkers statewide rely on HUD programs to remain stably housed. Remarks at the rally stressed that DOGE's proposal to gut HUD staff and funding would exacerbate the already dire housing and homelessness housing crises and that we must fight back together.
Network Executive Director Pascale Leone emceed the rally and kicked it off stating, “The federal government is proposing to gut half of HUD’s workforce and close dozens of field offices, possibly leaving New York with NO local HUD presence. They have even cut grants for Fair Housing enforcement, erasing key protections against discrimination. Today we stand in solidarity to declare that enough is enough! We are here today to say: hands off housing. Housing is not a privilege—it is a human right!”
“I am a veteran and experienced homelessness. This isn’t the country I defended. The one I defended was the one who gave me a chance to figure it out. Now we’re here. I trained to fight back as a marine. When they hit, let’s fight back,” said tenant advocate Kenny Alvarez.
“I see people who are checking out early because of housing and food insecurity. They can’t take it anymore. All across the country. We are all suffering from this housing crisis that plagues the country. If we are in a situation where we don’t center the need for housing, where we’ll cut funding for housing, that is not the right way to go,” said Shams daBaron, Da Housing Hero.
“We have a flawed constitution in this country that values property rights over human rights. We need to stand up. I say to DOGE, if you want to come out with the chainsaw, take a chainsaw to the constitution that has been flawed for 250 years.” said Rob Robinson, Housing and Human Rights Organizer.
“The president is eviscerating the services that working families rely on. Working families are fighting back for housing. We are not going to let them come for the housing millions of Americans rely on,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
“If we cut housing, everything will get worse. All roads lead to a cruel and reckless federal government. Implementing cuts will be devastating for low-income and moderate-income families. It’s unbelievable that anyone would cut housing funding.” said Council Member Rivera.
“The state must lead. The number one thing we need is housing. It's the core of safety and health and everything because housing is a human right. It’s the core of our society and the state must step up.” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher.
“I don’t know of any community in this state that wants us to focus less on the affordability crisis we are experiencing in housing than we have in the last few years. New Yorkers and Americans aren’t going to accept reductions in this federal government’s commitment to housing. We are here to deliver that message. We need to stop these cuts now.” said Senator Brian Kavanagh
“Let’s have some humanity: get people housing and keep them in it…We need more money to develop more supportive housing and we need funding so they can run at top speed. They need lots of funding and we’re here to fight for it.” said Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal.
“What we see in Washington doesn’t represent our values, what we believe or what we fight for. We are here in New York with our values. We're here in New York to fight. This is a time to fight, stand up, be together to say housing is a human right. To mean it and act on it at the city and state level and push our federal representatives to do the right thing.” said Assemblymember Harvey Epstein.
Remarks were also provided by: Rachel Fee, New York Housing Conference; Dan Lehman, HELP USA; Bonnie Mohan, Health and Housing Consortium; Nicole Branca, New Destiny; Andrew Bonfrancesco, Housing Works; Anna Luft, NY Legal Assistance Group, Public Housing Justice Project; Barika Williams, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD); Britney McKenzie, Fair Housing Justice Center; and Nickesha Francis, Good Shepherd Services.
Thank you to our rally co-sponsors: Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD) Coalition for the Homeless, Inc. HELP USA, Housing Works, Homeless Services United (HSU), Human Services Council of New York, InUnity Alliance, LeadingAge New York, LiveOn NY, New York Housing Conference, New York Legal Assistance Group, New York State Association for Affordable Housing, Save Section Nine, The Health & Housing Consortium, United Neighborhood Houses and University Settlement Society of New York.
Thank you to everyone who joined us. We look forward to our continued work together.
See the press release HERE.
See photos from the rally HERE.
Watch the rally HERE.