Around 100 people gathered at Walnut Park, Roxbury Saturday afternoon to protest against rent increases and poor conditions they said have been imposed on them by their landlords.
The rally was organized by residents of the community and City Life/Vida Urbana, a nonprofit that works to help residents in Boston who are facing rent issues and displacement from their homes. District 7 City Councilor Tito Jackson and two residents of Walnut Park spoke at the rally.
Alex Ponte-Capellan, a community organizer at City Life/Vida Urbana, said before the rally that the event was organized in order to help residents of the community fight against displacements due to rent increases, poor conditions and other forms of eviction. He said it is important to start acting now before the issue grows bigger.
“It’s important because the face of Boston is changing right now and if we don’t focus on this issue now, it’ll be completely different in a matter of years,” Ponte-Capellan said. “If we don’t stand up and make our voices heard, then we’re just not going to have the same Boston.”
Between time allotted for speakers, the crowd recited chants such as “What does democracy look like? This is what democracy looks like.” and “We fight. We win,” which were led by Jackson.
Jackson, who grew up in Roxbury, credited the residents of the neighborhood for taking action against crime and doing the work that now makes the area appealing to landlords.
“People stood up, they fought, they took back their blocks and that’s why greedy landlords even want to buy here,” Jackson said. “We are the most resilient neighborhood in the City of Boston. We are the most resilient people in the City of Boston.”
Jackson said housing is a fundamental right and the city’s government should be working to secure it.
“This should be a city for all and housing is a civil and human right in the city of Boston,” Jackson said to the crowd. “So you know what? We should be planning to make sure that working people can live and stay and thrive in the City of Boston. We must have a government that actually plans for the people. We must plan and listen to the voices of the people in the City of Boston.”
Coraleen Pilgrim, 69, who has been a tenant in Walnut Park for about 40 years, said during the rally residents must unite in addressing this issue rather than taking it on alone.
“If I am the only one who stands up, the landlord will target me,” Pilgrim said. “However, if we stick together to fight for this, they cannot target a group of people.”
Ian Powell, 30, who has lived in Walnut Park for about a year, said the change in terms of number of people losing their homes is alarming.
“I’ve only been here for a year so in that quick blink of an eye, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I have new neighbors and what happened to the old neighbors?’” Powell said. “I don’t mind the change — what I don’t like is how change is happening and to see we’re not included in that change.”
Powell said after the rally he is concerned about the diversity within Roxbury and how it will continue to decrease due to displacements.
“I can see different types of people in Roxbury, that is why I love this neighborhood so much,” Powell said. “I don’t want to see my old neighbors disappear because of this absurd rent increase.”
Several Boston residents at the rally said they believe changes need to be made to address the growing rent increase problem.
Cherai Mills, 27, of Somerville was invited to the rally due to her work with Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants, a tenant-run and tenant-led organization which provides Housing and Urban Development residents with technical and organizational assistance, according to its website.
Mills said after the rally that the situation in Roxbury is serious because it will directly affect the diversity within the community.
“Disabled people, the elderly people, working class people and people of color will be evicted from this neighborhood because they cannot afford 700 dollars rent increase,” Mills said. “Public space should be used for all types of people, not a money-making machine.”
Gabriela Herrera, 49 of West Roxbury works with City Life/Vida Urbana as a Spanish interpreter and translated at the rally to allow for better access for non-English speakers in the community.
Herrera said after the rally the rent issue is a major problem within the city and that it should be regulated.
“This rent issue is happening everywhere in Chinatown and in Roxbury,” Herrera said. “All we need is the regulation to let landlords know what is the extent they can raise their rent, so tenants will not get evicted from their home.”
