Rally to Defend McCarley Gardens and More to Come

Both tenants and supporters from around the city showed up on Thursday, August 19th for a rally at McCarley Gardens, located across the street from the St. John Baptist church. The gathering turned out about 60 people to voice their opposition to the sale of the property to UB, or to anyone else in the case that UB can‘t purchase it. McCarley Gardens has a contract with HUD to remain affordable housing until 2035 and Buffalo Tenants United plans to make them stick to that agreement.

Speakers at the rally included Lorraine Chambley, President of the tenants association at McCarley Gardens, Debra Rose, Vice President, Gwen Walker, Secretary, Byron McIntyre, Firefighter/Substitute teacher, running against Darius Pridgen for the Ellicott district common council seat, and Colin O’Malley, a Buffalo Tenants Union organizer. Speakers from the tenants association at McCarley spoke about how safe a place it is for their children, and that many of them have been there long enough that they consider many of their neighbors good friends or even family. Colin from the Tenant Union spoke on how important it is for tenants to band together to defend affordable housing because it is quickly disappearing in this city. He also cited public money being used on projects such as the Avant building to build luxury condos while 2,000 people in Buffalo remain homeless. 

Reverend Pridgen was also seen on the property. When talked to he said he was collecting signatures for someone. A resident pointed to the group gathered for the rally for signatures but he would not speak to them. 

Petition cards were also distributed at the rally. They are going to be collected and brought to HUD on September 30th for a rally to demand that Housing and Urban Development (HUD) keeps its agreement that Reverend Chapman should keep McCarley Gardens affordable housing until 2035. The proposed goal is to get 5000 signatures by September 17th. 

Another reasonable goal is to get members of the McCarley Gardens tenant association on the board that is making decisions in the negotiations for the land. This basic demand for democracy in development is something that should be involved in any community development plan, and Tenants United plans to be there to fight for it.