New York City is in the middle of an affordability crisis like one it has not seen in a generation. In times of challenge — be they financial, social or otherwise — pastors in Black and Brown communities have been pillars that have seen our congregants through.
Those who have filled the pulpits of our predecessors, who led us through those tough times have a duty to step up once again. Right now, Black and Brown homeowners who sit in our pews on Sunday spend the rest of the week frightened they’ll lose that all-too-valuable piece of generational wealth. They will look to us not only for spiritual comfort but to mobilize to advocate for changes that can happen right now, without having to wait for the government to change hands in January.
One of those solutions is sitting in the City Council right now to allow outerborough homeowners to short-term rent. In the grand scheme of things, homeowners are advocating for reforms under Intro. 948A that make little fixes to Local Law 18 that would allow them to host up to four guests, even if they aren’t home, and put locks on their private spaces. But these modest tweaks are significant for a retired Black civil servant who did long shifts, cut costs, and saved to buy their home in Central Brooklyn or Southeast Queens.
Because without this ability to do a short-term rental, they have run out of creative ways to supplement their income. Mortgage payments are brutal. Property taxes are unforgiving. Utility bills are relentless. That’s not even accounting for the skyrocketing costs of groceries, transportation or other needs. And no other income is coming in.
The current City Council has an opportunity to walk out of that chamber with a legacy — a message of hope — for the communities they and their colleagues swore to defend. Seemingly simple fixes to the law, yes. But it’s also the difference between security and foreclosure for tens of thousands. There is also a stark divide between a spirited debate and the disgusting, racist attacks the HTC-backed group Tenants Not Tourists launched against Airbnb, which I condemned earlier this month.
An absence of action will be an endorsement of the mass outward migration of Black and Brown New Yorkers. My fellow pastors and I have seen pews thin out on Sunday while others in more affordable states get cramped. This will spell disaster for our workforce, our school system, and our ability to organize. As my esteemed colleague, Rev. Dr. Adolphus Lacey, told the New York Times in June, “This is a staunch Democratic base, but yet it’s starting to erode because of the departure of a lot of Black people in the area.”
As Black and Brown pastors, we are entrusted to be shepherds of our flock. Our duties do not end on Sundays when we step down from the pulpit. History calls on us to wake up Monday morning and head to the halls of government to fight for our flock. We have a duty to advocate and mobilize against barriers that threaten to disperse those who count on us.
At this moment, our flocks are being stalked by an affordability crisis that’s driven them to the South and other states. We must do everything in our power, including giving them the freedom to responsibly do what they please with their home, to be empowered to overcome this crisis.
The City Council in its own right is a collection of shepherds for nearly 9 million people. Their watch does not end until December 31st. They have the opportunity to leave one final mark — one final piece in their legacy — for that beautiful, diverse flock with a few simple fixes.
Rev. Green is Senior Pastor of Mount Neboh Baptist Church and President and CEO of MPAC – Mobilizing Preachers and Communities
