“NO QUEENS”: NEW YORKERS PROTEST AFFORDABILITY CRISIS OUTSIDE GOV. HOCHUL’S NYC OFFICE & DEMAND ACTION
NYCC Releases New Survey Showing 80% of New Yorkers Struggling to Afford Basic Needs;
Protestors Call for Immediate Action from Gov. Hochul and Albany Leaders
NEW YORK – A large group of New Yorkers protested outside Governor Kathy Hochul’s Manhattan office today under the banner “No Queens,” calling on state lawmakers to take urgent action to make New York affordable again. The protest, organized by New York Communities for Change (NYCC), highlighted the state’s growing affordability crisis—driven by skyrocketing costs of housing, food, transportation, and insurance.
During the action, NYCC also released its new Affordability Survey, revealing the scale of financial strain facing households statewide.
According to the survey of 700 members, 80% said they are “extremely concerned” about paying their bills, while 74% reported struggling to afford basic needs such as rent and groceries.
“New York’s affordability crisis has reached a breaking point,” said Olivia Leirer, Executive Director of NYCC. “From rent and food to utilities and now skyrocketing car and home insurance, every basic cost is rising while wages stay flat. Working-class New Yorkers are being priced out of their own state. This is not just an economic issue—it’s a moral failure and a policy failure. Albany must act now to make New York affordable again.”
While housing remains the top concern for 87% of respondents, the survey identifies a fast-growing driver of household strain: soaring car and home insurance premiums.
73% of respondents who own or pay for car insurance said they are concerned about rising premiums.
70% of homeowners expressed concern about escalating home insurance costs.
“As a homeowner in New York City, I’m increasingly concerned about the steady rise in home insurance costs,” said Jean Sassine, NYCC member and Queens homeowner who joined the protest. “These escalating premiums are placing a growing financial strain on families like mine, even as coverage levels remain unchanged. On top of that, our property taxes always rise, regardless of an increase or decrease of property value.”
Insurance costs (car and home combined) ranked among the top three household concerns in the survey – surpassing childcare, education, and taxes.
“Car insurance should not be a luxury – it’s what working people rely on to get to work, take their kids to school, and make a living,” said David Alexis, NYCC member and former rideshare driver. “When car insurance rates go up, everything goes up – commuting costs, delivery fees, and everyday expenses. I had to give up being a rideshare driver because of the rising costs of insurance. It was just impossible to keep up. Governor Hochul and Albany leaders must stand with drivers and working families, not insurance companies.”
At the “No Queens” protest, NYCC members and supporters held signs and chanted outside Hochul’s Midtown office, demanding that the Governor “stop ignoring New York’s working class” and deliver concrete relief for renters, homeowners, and drivers. The event underscored the urgent need for bold affordability reforms in the upcoming legislative session – including stronger tenant protections, oversight of the insurance industry, and action to rein in costs across all sectors.
The full survey is available here.
About New York Communities for Change (NYCC)
New York Communities for Change (NYCC) is a grassroots organization of working families fighting for economic, racial, and social justice. We organize low- and moderate-income communities to build political power, demand systemic change, and hold elected officials accountable to the needs of working people.