On June 1972, with minimal staff and a handful of volunteers, Los Sures began the daunting task of rebuilding its community, the Southside of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The community residents who started the organization were responding to an epidemic of: landlord abandonment, withdrawal of city services, and illegal evictions by landlords. Illegal evictions included some property owners who were trying to vacate their buildings in order to change the ethnic composition of the neighborhood. Los Sures fought back by promoting community-based control of housing, through both management and ownership. In 1975, Los Sures became the first community-based organization to enter into agreements to manage City-owned properties. A few years later, it was one of the first groups to undertake large-scale rehabilitation. Today, Los Sures is regarded as a pioneer in both the management and development of affordable housing.

Williamsburg has changed drastically in the last few decades from an affordable alternative to Manhattan to a neighborhood sought out by an up-and-coming artistic community. As Williamsburg becomes more gentrified and demand for apartments in the area increases, rents continue to rise drastically- more than doubling in the past few years alone. Families who have lived in the neighborhood for years feel the economic strain as they can no longer afford to stay in their apartments, and an entire community finds itself in need of assistance.

Los Sures currently provides a myriad of resources like: affordable housing, tenant organizing, community outreach, a senior residential center, a senior recreation center, a hydroponic farm, a local food pantry, and it serves a liaison between the southside community and some city agencies.

GIVING TUESDAY

By Southside United Housing Development Fund Corp.

GIVING TUESDAY

GIVING TUESDAY IS DECEMBER 3, 2024