Gentrification on the Ballot: Black New Yorkers Weigh In on NYC Mayoral Race
Renee Collymore has lived in Clinton Hill her entire life. She watched as it transformed from a middle-class neighborhood of Black homeowners to one of the borough's most desirable places to live, thanks in part to the crack epidemic that ravaged the area. But now, she sees gentrification wreaking havoc on the community she loves.
In the recent Democratic primary, Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman from Queens, won over 60% of the vote in parts of Clinton Hill. His rival, Andrew Cuomo, has pitted Black voters against liberal white voters who have displaced older residents in gentrified neighborhoods. Collymore, a moderate Democrat and former district leader, is concerned that Mamdani's policies will only accelerate the displacement of low-income families.
"I see Mamdani as the candidate of the gentrifiers," she said. "His proposal for free buses may sound great, but I suspect it'll just make things worse for us." Collymore fears that Mamdani's housing plans will lead to even more economic pressure on Black neighborhoods like hers.
Not everyone is convinced that Mamdani's policies are the problem, however. Some Black voters in the city see him as a breath of fresh air, someone who can bring new ideas and energy to City Hall. A Quinnipiac poll showed Mamdani winning support from 48% of Black voters compared to Cuomo at 34%.
Roger Green, a former Brooklyn state assemblyman who supports Mamdani, acknowledges that some Black voters are suspicious of his support in gentrified neighborhoods. "We say gentrified, they say pervasive resegregation," he said. "Those communities are concerned."
Meanwhile, experts warn against overgeneralizing the political views of Black voters. More than half of Black voters in the city are of Afro-Caribbean descent, not African American descent.
As the mayoral election heats up, Collymore has made the difficult decision to vote for Cuomo despite her reservations about his handling of a sexual harassment scandal. For Brandon Lloyd Adams, owner of two popular bakeries in East Harlem, the decision is more complicated. While he initially supported Mamdani in the primary, some of the candidate's policies have given him pause.
"I'm torn," said Adams. "As a Black person, there are so many different aspects to consider. It's going to be a game-time decision for me."
Despite these divisions, one thing is clear: gentrification remains a major concern for Black voters in the city. And as the mayoral election enters its final stretch, it will be interesting to see how this issue plays out on the ballot box.
Renee Collymore has lived in Clinton Hill her entire life. She watched as it transformed from a middle-class neighborhood of Black homeowners to one of the borough's most desirable places to live, thanks in part to the crack epidemic that ravaged the area. But now, she sees gentrification wreaking havoc on the community she loves.
In the recent Democratic primary, Zohran Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman from Queens, won over 60% of the vote in parts of Clinton Hill. His rival, Andrew Cuomo, has pitted Black voters against liberal white voters who have displaced older residents in gentrified neighborhoods. Collymore, a moderate Democrat and former district leader, is concerned that Mamdani's policies will only accelerate the displacement of low-income families.
"I see Mamdani as the candidate of the gentrifiers," she said. "His proposal for free buses may sound great, but I suspect it'll just make things worse for us." Collymore fears that Mamdani's housing plans will lead to even more economic pressure on Black neighborhoods like hers.
Not everyone is convinced that Mamdani's policies are the problem, however. Some Black voters in the city see him as a breath of fresh air, someone who can bring new ideas and energy to City Hall. A Quinnipiac poll showed Mamdani winning support from 48% of Black voters compared to Cuomo at 34%.
Roger Green, a former Brooklyn state assemblyman who supports Mamdani, acknowledges that some Black voters are suspicious of his support in gentrified neighborhoods. "We say gentrified, they say pervasive resegregation," he said. "Those communities are concerned."
Meanwhile, experts warn against overgeneralizing the political views of Black voters. More than half of Black voters in the city are of Afro-Caribbean descent, not African American descent.
As the mayoral election heats up, Collymore has made the difficult decision to vote for Cuomo despite her reservations about his handling of a sexual harassment scandal. For Brandon Lloyd Adams, owner of two popular bakeries in East Harlem, the decision is more complicated. While he initially supported Mamdani in the primary, some of the candidate's policies have given him pause.
"I'm torn," said Adams. "As a Black person, there are so many different aspects to consider. It's going to be a game-time decision for me."
Despite these divisions, one thing is clear: gentrification remains a major concern for Black voters in the city. And as the mayoral election enters its final stretch, it will be interesting to see how this issue plays out on the ballot box.
she's right Mamdani's policies might just push out more low-income families like hers. I mean, who benefits from free buses but not affordable housing? 
it's all about priorities, you know? and what's up with the 48% of Black voters supporting Mamdani? that's not exactly a landslide victory for gentrifiers 
we need to keep an eye on how this plays out in the city.
. They're already being priced out by wealthy folks who want to move in. A free bus system might sound nice, but it'll just drive up costs of living and force more low-income families outta there. I remember when my family used to live in Brooklyn Heights, it was all gentrified and expensive back then... now it's just a bunch of fancy cafes and overpriced apartments 
. And honestly, Cuomo's handling of the sexual harassment scandal was super questionable... 
. I remember when Clinton Hill was just like any other neighborhood - we didn't have to deal with fancy new coffee shops and trendy bars popping up all over the place. And now, it's like a whole different world. Everyone wants to be there, but at what cost? The prices are going up, people can't afford to live here anymore... it's like Mamdani's policies will just push us out even more 
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. It's like, what are we even fighting for anymore?
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Like, isn't gentrification already a thing where richer folks move into areas with cheaper housing and prices go up? Why do we need more politicians promising to bring in "new energy" like that's gonna solve everything 
. Mamdani just seems like another politician from a gentrified neighborhood who doesn't get it 
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anyway, i feel for Renee Collymore she's got a point Mamdani's policies might not be the best solution for Black communities in gentrified areas. but at the same time, you gotta respect the youngins wanna shake things up 
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. He's acknowledging that being a Black person means considering different perspectives 
. And can we talk about the Quinnipiac poll? Like, what's up with the Afro-Caribbean vs African American distinction 
. I hope whoever wins the mayoral election has some real solutions to address this issue 
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let's make sure our voices are heard in this election 
. The thing is, we can't just generalize what's best for Black voters - there's so much diversity within the community and different perspectives 
. I think we need more nuanced conversations about gentrification and its impact on communities of color 
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IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT POLICY, IT'S ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITIES 
. I DON'T BUY INTO ALL THE LABELING OF "GENTRIFIED NEIGHBORHOODS" vs "P pervasive resegregation"... IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES 
. AND I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE BRANDON LLOYD ADAMS WHO ARE TAKING THE TIME TO CONSIDER ALL ASPECTS OF THIS ISSUE 
. It's all about who gets to decide what the city looks like and who gets left behind, right? 
. We need to respect individual perspectives and experiences within our communities.
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Renee Collymore is speaking TRUTH for crying out loud! She's seen her neighborhood go from middle-class to hipster haven and it's heartbreaking. And don't even get me started on Zohran Mamdani's policies... I mean, free buses? Sounds nice, but what about the people who can't afford housing in the first place?! 
It's like, basic economics 101. You can't just throw money at a problem without addressing the root issue. And can we talk about how this is affecting Black neighborhoods across the city?! It's not just Clinton Hill or East Harlem, it's happening everywhere! 