Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) is working to address a dire need within the Flushing community and the city at large. While the development process of 39-03 College Point Boulevard has been halted, as announced December 23, 2021, AAFE will be continuing community outreach including meetings and discussions with organizations throughout the Flushing community.
AAFE is committed to helping families through transitional housing. In 2021, there was a monthly average of 90 Asian families with children in the city’s shelter system*. When the eviction moratorium and emergency rental assistance funds expire, we expect this number to rise back to pre-pandemic levels, when an average of 118 Asian families with children stayed in city facilities*. In 2019, 41% of households in Flushing were severely rent burdened (spending over 50% of household income on rent), a 10% increase over the past decade. More Asian people were living in poverty in Flushing than anywhere else citywide.
The above statistics are just one piece of the puzzle and help illustrate the urgency within our own community in Flushing. While shelters and emergency facilities can be helpful to the populations struggling most short term, our goal for the growth and wellbeing of the Flushing community is to provide the kind of housing and public Asian-language services that allow for long-term home and financial stability. Transitional housing is a proven method to not only provide essential housing, but a sense of normalcy and hope for families in Flushing. The ultimate goal is for all residents to be assisted in finding sustainable futures in their own permanent homes.
For more information on the offerings and services of the project at 39-03 College Point Boulevard, click here.
*(Source: DHS Data Dashboard, Families with Children: Race/Ethnicity of Unique Heads of Household in Shelter; FY19, FY20, and FY21)
