A Night At The Soiree

Thank You to East New York Community Land Trust for an Incredible Autumn Soiree

My name is Ariel Arteaga, I am currently the Communications Associate at Brooklyn Coop, where I’ve proudly worked for the past two years going on three. My role consists of social media and website management/engagement and working closely with our Partnership coordinator Amanda Trainor in community outreach.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the East New York Community Land Trust (ENYCLT) Autumn Soiree, and I just wanted to take a moment to thank ENYCLT for hosting such an incredible event. The soiree wasn’t just a fundraiser; it was a celebration of community, resilience, and the power of collective action. From the lively music provided by the DJ to the raffles and vibrant atmosphere, everyone was immersed in dancing, socializing, and simply having a great time. This event was also a celebration of ENYCLT’s historic achievement of their recent purchase of 248 Arlington Avenue. This multi-unit building purchase is a groundbreaking win, making them the first community land trust in New York City to successfully purchase a private residential building.

For me, the highlight of the evening was the award and speech ceremony. Hearing directly from the people who are so deeply committed to the organizations mission was inspiring. It gave me a new appreciation for the dedication of those working to ensure housing stability and affordability in East New York. Growing up in an immigrant household, where living paycheck-to-paycheck and dealing with negligent landlords was the norm, I resonated strongly with their goals. The experience of having to deal with these types of landlords mismanaging their properties were horrific and traumatizing. From small simple repairs to big leaks or cracks it was impossible to get something fixed and if they did it would be a cheap fix which we called the “landlord special,” yet we were still held accountable to paying thousands a month for barely livable conditions. Let’s not get started on the attempts of trying to hike up the rent by 15% even though the building was rent stabilized but because my parents were immigrant folks with little to no English, we were always taken advantage of and seeing ENYCLT take a stand against this type of housing inequity reminds me that we’re not alone. There are thousands of others facing similar struggles, and there are many other organizations just like them trying to make our neighborhoods places where we can all thrive in.

Once again, I’d like to extend my gratitude to the East New York Community Land Trust for hosting such a wonderful event. It was an honor to celebrate with you, and we look forward to seeing the continued growth of your work and the lasting impact it will have on our city. Together, we can build a future where community control and empowerment are at the heart of everything we do. Thank you for all that you do. Here’s to many more victories to come!