A 58-year-old grandmother named Audrey Quantano is refusing to move out of her run-down, unsafe apartment even though the building is greatly in need of renovation. West Harlem Group Assistance, a nonprofit that develops and preserves affordable housing, purchased the building from the city and relocated its residents to structures in upper manhattan – except for Quantano. The other residents left 8 months ago but as a protest against the development in Harlem, Quantano is still staying in the practically uninhabitable building. These relocated residents were promised that they could return once the building is restored, but Quantano’s refusal to relocate is postponing the renovations. She currently has a four-bedroom apartment in which she lives with only her two dogs. She fears that she will receive a smaller apartment once the renovations are complete. 

It seems inconsiderate for her not to leave the building just because she may return to find herself in a smaller apartment. The building is moldy, has busted pipes and leaking ceilings; in this case a nonprofit is attempting to fix the building and has even provided temporary housing for its residents in the meantime. It isn’t being turned into a luxury condo, and they are not attempting to kick her out by turning off utilities. Her protest against gentrification is just turning into an inconvenience for many others.