MSCC, Caitlin Cahill, October 8, 2025 

Dear Friends and Neighbors

We have been fighting back, but we desperately need your help now to stop the demolition of Chelsea’s Public Housing!  We have a dollar for dollar match until October 15th to support the Chelsea Public Housing Coalition Legal Defense Fund. We need your support! 

Those of you who have been following the cause know that our vulnerable NYCHA senior neighbors have received 30-day vacate notices to move by October 26th.  Related Companies, the developer behind Hudson Yards, wants to privatize and demolish public housing in Chelsea and take 70% of the land to remake our neighborhood with market rate apartments for the rich and super-tall towers on the avenues.  

No one voted for this!  NYCHA residents and our community have been silenced and sidelined while private developers have been invited to have their way with our historic, low-rise, economically-diverse neighborhood.  Community Board 4 has joined us in the fight (see attached letter) stating: “The Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea (FEC) NYCHA campuses are, first and foremost, people’s homes. Any development must begin with that fact and protect residents’ dignity and stability above all else.” 

Despite our protests and an environmental impact statement that proves we will be subjected to 15-25 years of non-stop noise, traffic and air-quality issues that cannot be mitigated, our elected officials have turned a blind eye to the plight of the NYCHA residents and our community. Our Senior NYCHA neighbors are terrified and want to stay in their homes, which are in good condition and should not be destroyed!

The Chelsea Public Housing Defense Coalition has fought back with letters, press, protest rallies, marches, and legal support. Most important of all, fundraising for legal actions for the seniors and the community that we are fighting on multiple fronts. 

Over the last few weeks we have held several legal clinics scheduled for NYCHA residents and are helping them defend themselves against eviction.  

In addition, we are also supporting a larger legal case in State Court that has the potential to stop the demolition and compel NYCHA and the developers to go through a ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure) before they even consider demolishing the buildings. Our court date is October 15th, and we will need to raise funds for a pending appeal as well. 

All of these actions are working, but none of them are free. Please, if you can help us finance this important public housing and community-saving work, NOW is the time to join us!  A donation of any amount will help, and if you give before October 15th, all donations will be matched dollar for dollar.  You can double the impact of your gift and help us save the homes of our NYCHA neighbors and save Chelsea. Many of you have already donated, and we are incredibly grateful for your support. But if you can dig deep and help us again, we have a fighting chance of winning for all of us. 

Please Click here to support the Chelsea Public Housing Legal Defense Fund

With gratitude, 

Chelsea Public Housing Coalition Legal Defense Fund 

*You may also make checks out to: Midtown South Community Council, earmarked for the “Chelsea Public Housing Legal Defense Fund”

Mailing address:

John Mudd

Midtown South Community Council 

331 West 38th Street # 5

New York NY 10018

Click here to join the “Friends of the Chelsea Public Housing Coalition” mail list to get involved, volunteer and news updates.