Hilltop Village Cooperative has been my home for nearly 30 years—a vibrant, close-knit community in the heart of Queens. When I moved here in 1995 with my two-year-old daughter, I found more than just a safe place to live, but a diverse and supportive group of neighbors. Today, Hilltop remains a haven for hardworking, middle-class families committed to preserving our co-op and strengthening our community. As a retiree living on a fixed income, I rely on the stability that our co-op has always provided. But now, that stability is at risk. As ground lease co-op residents—New York’s last unprotected class of tenants—we are facing a crisis along with tens of thousands of New Yorkers statewide. With Hilltop’s 99-year lease nearing renewal, rising costs threaten the very future of our homes.
Ground lease co-ops have offered middle-class families a path to homeownership since the 1950s. While we own our apartments, we lease the land beneath our buildings from landowners. Despite this difference, we share the same responsibilities as individual homeowners, collectively covering utilities, landscaping, routine maintenance and repairs. But our unique ground lease co-op structure isn’t the only factor that sets us apart from other New York residents: we still lack basic housing protections needed to keep our co-ops stable and affordable. As long-standing leases begin to expire statewide, ground lease co-ops are struggling to obtain loans and refinancing from banks. At Hilltop, we’ve already found ourselves in this exact dilemma.
Founded in 1953, Hilltop is home to more than 2,000 Jamaica residents, spread out across nine buildings. For years, our families have consistently fulfilled our obligations to keep our co-op safe and secure. Nonetheless, Hilltop’s outdated ground lease imposes stringent refinancing limits, putting all nine buildings at risk. As our lease renewal approaches, banks hesitate to lend the necessary funds for maintenance and long-delayed repairs, leaving hazards unaddressed throughout our buildings. New buyers face excessive lending rates, deterring them from purchasing a home here. And what’s more: we’re not alone in this crisis. Other ground lease co-ops are facing the same uphill battle in Queens and around our state.
Without basic protections, we’re simply trapped in a perfect storm: unable to make renovations, attract new buyers, or plan for the future. It’s a direct threat to our stability, our investments and our ability to remain in the communities we’ve built. With more than 25,000 New Yorkers living in ground lease co-ops, including more than a third right here in Queens, we’re relying on Albany lawmakers to shield us from displacement.
Queens families are feeling the strain of rising costs. Residents in our buildings earn an average of $63,395—nearly 20 percent below the citywide median income of $76,000—yet face the same escalating expenses. Living on a fixed income, like many at Hilltop, I know firsthand how high the stakes are. After retiring, I joined our co-op board to help make our community more affordable. But in the years since, I’ve watched rising costs chip away at our financial security. Many of us are juggling multiple jobs, postponing retirement or abandoning it altogether to keep up with rent and maintenance. Young families are struggling to provide, often forced to choose between covering other basic necessities or keeping up with rising maintenance fees.
Last May, Hilltop Village joined several Queens co-ops and lawmakers to celebrate Governor Hochul’s signing of the Ground Lease Renewal Bill. Thanks to Senator Stavisky and Assemblymember Braunstein, New York enacted a long-awaited protection for ground lease co-op owners and prospective buyers: the right to extend lease renewal periods. Nearly a year later, however, ground lease co-ops remain vulnerable without comprehensive housing protections. Senator Krueger and Assemblymember Rosenthal are sponsoring state legislation to grant additional ground lease protections. For the 11,000+ ground lease co-op apartments around our state facing potential displacement, this bill is monumental and offers a path to long-term stability. And most of all, we’d get to keep the homes we’ve worked so hard to build and preserve for future generations.
Without prompt reform, our city risks losing tens of thousands of homes, including more than 900 Hilltop homes in the heart of Queens, where affordable housing options are already scarce. It’s a blatant failure to endanger families like this during a statewide housing crisis. We urge all members of our state legislature to act now and pass Senator Krueger and Assemblymember Rosenthal’s legislation before it’s too late. Ground lease co-ops are only seeking the chance to keep our homes—don’t we all deserve that?
Pamella Harris is a long-time resident and board member of Hilltop Village Co-op in Jamaica, Queens. She is a member of the Ground Lease Co-op Coalition, a non-partisan coalition of co-op owners all over New York State advocating to save their homes.
