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A hundred people, most of them Afro-Americans and Latinos, filled the streets of New York asking to maintain the moratorium that expired on January 15 and which prevents families from being thrown out onto the streets. Amid the fear generated by low temperatures and the spread of the Omicron variant, Governor Kathy Hochul wants to end the measure that began at the worst moment in the state regarding the pandemic, in 2020.
Hours of uncertainty live a sector of the inhabitants of the city of New York after the moratorium against evictions expired this Saturday. This resolution was born in 2020, at a time when the state was the epicenter of Covid-19 and was regularly extended by the outgoing governor, Andrew Cuomo.
However, given the intentions of Governor Kathy Hochul to close it down and not continue prolonging the decision, a hundred protesters came out to protest in Manhattan last Friday.
Throughout these two years, the tenants were protected from evictions by the authorities or by the owners of the homes, given the economic and labor crisis caused by the pandemic in the United States. However, the certain possibility that this care would disappear, the inhabitants expressed themselves in the streets.
Based in the municipal library on Fifth Avenue, the claimants appeared with banners and slogans against the Governor, whom they blamed for the evictions, and others highlighting the right to housing. The mobilization ended with slight disturbances and arrests by the security forces.
Through a megaphone, Jumaane Williams – New York ombudsman and candidate for governor in the last elections – stated that “it cannot be allowed” for the moratorium to cease to apply in “the middle of winter and during a wave of Covid”. Governor, this simply cannot happen.
For his part, another of the referents who took the voice in the protest was Brad Lander, financial controller who works in the city. “We know that if you end the moratorium, tens of thousands of women and minors of color in New York will be kicked out by landlords and will be out on the streets,” he warned.
A 58-year-old woman of color facing possible eviction also addressed those present. “How many more people have to stay on the street because of the greed of the owners who take advantage of the system by increasing prices?”, he shouted. And he closed by saying that they will not put up with this situation any longer.
Solving the housing problems of hundreds of New Yorkers will be a new challenge for the incipient management of Mayor Eric Adams, who since his recent inauguration has already had to deal with the tragic fire in the Bronx. Adams, during his campaign, raised the banner of the fight against socioeconomic inequalities as one of the highest priorities for his administration.
With EFE and Reuters
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