“No place to go”: Neighborhood’s largest senior center faces eviction

Sunset Park’s United Senior Center at 475 53rd Street recently hosted a lively Father’s Day celebration, a stark contrast to the center’s looming closure scheduled for June 30th due to a dramatic rent increase.

The facility, the largest Older Adult Center (OAC) in the neighborhood, provides crucial services to over 4,000 seniors monthly, including culturally competent programs in Spanish, English, and Chinese.

Director Grisel Amador has lived in Sunset Park since relocating from Puerto Rico in 1981. She began volunteering at the center when her grandmother, who raised her, started attending. Her commitment over the decades is deep—she once worked a full shift while in labor, determined to care for the seniors before giving birth later that night.

Amador, determined yet emotional, stated, "It affects me deeply that they're not going to have a place to go." Landlord Amy Grabino initially proposed a rent increase of 125%, then, after negotiations, reduced it to 99%, before ultimately settling at a 70% hike, according to City Councilmember Alexa Avilés, who has been a vocal supporter of the center throughout the lease negotiation process.

Grabino’s current asking rate of $21 per square foot remains below the neighborhood's average rate of $30 to $35 per square foot, but the New York City Department for the Aging (DFTA) continues to reject the terms.

In hopes of buying time to find alternative space or secure support, Amador submitted a proposal to the DFTA requesting a three-month lease extension. If the center isn't completely vacated by June 30, however, under the current terms the monthly rent will double from $10,262 to $20,534.

The Sunset Post has reached out to the Department for the Aging for clarification on its decision not to accept the new lease terms. As of publication, the DFTA has yet to respond.

With the city agency's silence, community members have been stepping up to express what this center means to them.

Héctor González, a local actor and veteran, highlighted the deep community roots of the center.

“These seniors are the founders, the carpenters, the electricians, plumbers," González said. "They created this neighborhood."

González urged the landlord, the city, and the community to make more of an effort to reach a solution that would provide the support needed for the neighborhood's elderly.

"One day," said González, "you're going to be in our shoes."

Maria Rivera, an 80-year-old attendee, expressed frustration and anger toward the city for the potential closure. “I'm mad at the city because they don’t want to help us,” she stated emphatically.

Rivera pointed out the inadequacy of other local centers, which she described as too small to accommodate United Senior Center’s community.

The retired hospital worker feels that the elderly are often neglected at a time in their lives when they need more care and attention.

“People don't understand that when you get old you need more love than when you're young, because when you're young you run around here, there,” Rivera said. “But when you're old nobody cares for you; nobody loves you anymore.”

The United Senior Center offers extensive services, including meals, fitness and recreation classes, cultural activities, healthcare referrals, transportation, technology and ESL classes, sewing, bingo, karaoke, and specialized programs for blind seniors and those with special needs. The center also hosts a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), preparing seniors to assist in local emergencies.

The day before the Father’s Day celebration, the center held elections for a new board set to begin on July 1. When asked why she was proceeding with elections despite the looming closure, Amador said, “I still have hope we will be open.”