Our Work
Tenant Organizing and Counseling
Our Housing Staff advises tenants on questions they bring to us on how to fight back against evictions, landlord harassment, and rent overcharges. We guide people how to sublet legally, get repairs, handle lease renewals, and much more.
We organize tenants to fight evictions based on landlords’ false claims that they plan to live in the building themselves or demolish it.
Social Services
We assist income-eligible residents in applying for income support, health care, and housing entitlements so a diverse population can remain in the community.
Neighborhood Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (N-NORC)
We work with area seniors to age in place with dignity through our Neighborhood NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) programs. Our N-NORC focuses on providing case management services with a Licensed Social Worker and benefits specialists, a Visiting Nurse Program with two bilingual nurses and a Health Coach, and social and recreational activities. Our Senior Health and Recreational Program (SHARP) Committee is a senior-led group that plans workshops, social gatherings, and celebrations.
Housing Development and Resiliency
We partner with non-profits to develop and preserve affordable housing and cultural spaces. In our work with the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association (CSMHA), we are greening multifamily housing including the installation of rooftop solar on five CSMHA buildings on East 4th Street. We have helped more than two dozen low-income cooperatives all over the Lower East Side complete energy efficiency upgrades.
Cooper Square Committee has formed two community land trusts during our history. The Cooper Square Community Land Trust (CS CLT) was formed in 1994, and owns the land under 23 low income buildings in our community, comprising over 360 apartments. Twenty one buildings are part of the Mutual Housing Association cooperative, and the CLT’s role is to ensure the apartments remain permanently affordable.
CSC formed the This Land is Ours CLT in 2019. This Land is Ours CLT is working to acquire underutilized land, distressed buildings, and other properties in lower Manhattan to develop and preserve as permanently affordable rental housing. We are actively engaged in a campaign to acquire two city-owned parking lots, with the goal of building at least 125 permanently affordable low-income apartments for families and seniors.
Small Business Organizing and Support
We build community and support for small businesses in the Lower East Side and East Village. Working closely with local merchant associations and other independent businesses, we organize periodic merchant meet ups, share information and resources, collaborate on neighborhood marketing and events, and bring business services such as free and confidential commercial lease assistance directly to local commercial tenants. We also organize and advocate for policy changes through a citywide coalition.
Studio One: A Multicultural Arts Space
In Unit 3W of our building on E 4th Street, we host rotating art exhibitions and free arts classes.