LES Dwellers

We have established this organization in response to the declining quality of life and disappearance of the vibrant, culturally diverse, and sometimes irreverent community the LES once was. Increasingly, the specialty shops that were once destinations, and served the local community have been shuttering their doors or moving South towards Chinatown, Brooklyn or Queens. Many of these storefronts remain empty, waiting for renters who can afford the inflated rents brought on by the influx of bars, clubs, and nightlife-driven restaurants. As a direct result of increasing commercial rents, residents have also seen their rent skyrocket, yet the quality of life declines. Today, in 2012, a large percentage of the businesses that make up the Lower East Side are now under the category of bar, club, nightlife-driven restaurant.

From Wednesday through Sunday, the residents of the Lower East Side are being held hostage by the crowds that flock here to get drunk with complete disregard for the residents. These bars, clubs, and nightlife-driven restaurants cater to these clients at the expense of the community. Of the disproportionate amount of bars, clubs, and nightlife-driven restaurants, only a handful have posted signs reminding patrons that people live here too - though these signs may not be a deterrent, these establishments do not even pretend to acknowledge the residents. The community is subjected to open windows and doors blasting music and loud patrons, and bouncers who do nothing to disperse crowds that congregate on the sidewalks, forcing residents to walk in the streets to reach their homes. The residents are left day after day with the aftermath of nights of reverie and raucous behavior. Our sidewalks and entrance ways are covered with urine and vomit, and littered with drug paraphernalia, cigarette butts, and leftover food and takeout containers. The bars, clubs, and nightlife-driven restaurants clean up in front of their places of business, but the residents and other neighborhood businesses are left with the burden of cleaning up the damage from the night before.