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The Exodus of Black New Yorkers and Its Potential Impact on City Politics

Rising housing costs and quality-of-life issues are driving many longtime Black residents out of New York City, posing new challenges for Democrats as the mayoral race approaches.

Ricardo Silva
Published • 3 MIN READ
The Exodus of Black New Yorkers and Its Potential Impact on City Politics
A Democratic mayoral forum held at St. Paul Community Baptist Church in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood highlights voter concerns amid rising housing expenses.

For more than three decades, Dorinda Pannell dedicated herself to advocating for affordable housing in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood.

A committed Democrat, tenant leader with East Brooklyn Congregations, and active voter, Ms. Pannell, 75, affectionately known as “Miss P” among residents of the Linden Houses, tirelessly organized her community to demand improved housing conditions. Her advocacy even brought her to City Hall, where she addressed officials directly.

Today, she closely follows the mayoral primary, hoping the city’s next administration will prioritize housing security for the millions of New Yorkers—especially longstanding Black and Latino residents—who are increasingly struggling to find affordable, quality homes.

However, Ms. Pannell will not cast a ballot in the upcoming primary nor witness firsthand how the new leadership will impact her neighborhood. She has spent the past five years living in Hampton, Virginia, to be nearer to her son, access better healthcare, and enjoy a lifestyle she describes as having a lower cost of living and improved quality of life.

“Leaving was heartbreaking,” she shared, reflecting on the activism she had to pause. “I never cried so much when I moved.”

Ms. Pannell represents hundreds of thousands of Black New Yorkers who, over the last ten years, have faced the painful decision to leave the city they have called home for generations.

Ricardo Silva
Ricardo Silva

Ricardo analyzes local political landscapes, election dynamics, and community-level policy debates.

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