Why some Black New Yorkers see gentrification on the ballot in NYC mayor's race
Renee Collymore says she has watched her Brooklyn neighborhood of Clinton Hill transform from a middle-class enclave for Black homeowners to a casualty of the crack epidemic to one of the borough's most desirable places to live.
She is a dying breed of political leader in this racially diverse and liberal neighborhood: a Black moderate Democrat who despises Zohran Mamdani and everything he represents. That includes his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America (“the far left”), his proposal for free buses (“there’s no free anything”) and even bike lanes (a symbol of “privilege”).
“Gentrification has torn this community apart,” said Collymore, who served as a district leader.
She sees Mamdani as the candidate of the gentrifiers. His upset win in the Democratic primary and front-runner status has prompted an existential crisis of sorts for Collymore, who has been active in local politics all of her adult life. Mamdani’s pledge to make the city more affordable should in theory appeal to Collymore, who has watched countless neighbors get priced out of Clinton Hill. But she suspects Mamdani will accelerate the economic forces changing the makeup of Black neighborhoods by greenlighting housing that’s out of reach for lower-income residents.
https://gothamist.com/news/why-some-black-new-yorkers-see-gentrification-on-the-ballot-in-nyc-mayors-race