One Year Later: Savoy Park Tenants Rally Again to Demand Action
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
On Saturday, April 26, 2025, the tenants of Savoy Park returned to the gates of their complex for the Save the Savoy: One Year Later Rally, marking 365 days since they first went public with their demands for safe, livable housing. Despite last year’s rally drawing support from elected officials and widespread media attention, tenants are still facing many of the same—and worsening—conditions: unsafe buildings, neglected repairs, and persistent mismanagement by Fairstead Management.
Backed once again by State Senator Cordell Cleare, City Council Member Dr. Yusef Salaam, and State Assembly Member Jordan Wright, the Savoy Park Tenants Union gathered with neighbors and allies to hold Fairstead Management accountable for a year of delays, deflection, and delinquent repairs. From broken intercoms and unsecured gates to daily package theft, illegal squatters, and a frightening uptick in gun violence within the complex, the conditions have become not just unacceptable—but dangerous.
As tenant organizer Kate Wilson put it during last year's rally: “Nobody deserves to be unsafe in their own home, and right now we are all unsafe in our homes.” One year after that statement, Fairstead’s failure to act on their promises—including taking 11 months to hire a new security company—has only deepened the community’s frustration and fear.
The rally served not only as a call to action, but as a declaration: tenants are no longer waiting for change—they’re demanding it. With the support of elected leaders and community advocates, the Tenants Union is calling for an immediate, transparent, and consistent dialogue with Fairstead Management and a clear timeline for addressing safety, security, cleanliness, and livability—with an August 1, 2025 deadline.
Savoy Park was once the home of the legendary Savoy Ballroom, known as the “Heartbeat of Harlem.” Today, the tenants are working to restore that heartbeat—by fighting not just for a safer complex, but for the dignity and respect every resident deserves.
📸 See the rally highlights on Instagram here
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