Like many other neighborhoods in New York City, Astoria, Queens, has faced an affordable housing problem in recent years. Nestled along the East River, Astoria is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods dating back to the 17th century. I have lived in Astoria for the past seven years, and I can confidently say that this is a big problem in my community that I hear from others, including my neighbors. I first noticed that during 2021, after our city started to get back to normal because of COVID restrictions. I believe that many landlords or homeowners want to get the money back that they lost during COVID, so that is why there is such a significant increase in rents. Another reason is that the demand for housing in the area has been steadily increasing. This has led to rising rents, overcrowding, and displacement of long-time residents. A few factors have contributed to the affordable housing problem in Astoria. One is the overall cost of living in the area, which has increased as the neighborhood has become more desirable. Another is the need for new affordable housing development, which has resulted in a limited supply of affordable apartments.
