In late November 2024, members of the Cooper Square community gathered to celebrate the legacy of Maria Torres Bird, a longtime leader in our organizing. Maria passed away on May 26, 2023.

If you were not able to attend the gathering, a recording is available here and it includes heartfelt reflections from Maria's family, friends, and fellow warriors for housing justice.

Maria came to live in a Cooper Square building on East 4th Street in the mid 1970s. She soon became involved with Cooper Square Committee, and was elected to the Steering Committee in 1990. In the 1980s, she was a leader in the planning process that led to the creation of Cooper Square MHA, MHA2, and the Cooper Square CLT. She helped win a commitment from the Dinkins Administration to renovate and gain ownership of 21 buildings from the City. 

At the time of her death, Maria served on the boards of the Cooper Square Committee, Cooper Square MHA 2, 346 E. 21st St. HDFC and the MHA 2 Admissions Committee. The love she had for her community was demonstrated by decades of consistent service and leadership. Along with Frances Goldin and others, Maria's sustained contribution was foundational to creating and preserving the community and co-op we have today.

We hope you will help us carry forward Maria's legacy. Below you will find opportunities to show up, speak out, and be of service to your neighbors and neighborhood.

CSC Seniors! Please join us TONIGHT at the next SHARP meeting to learn how the This Land Is Ours Community Land Trust, working with CSC, can work to transform a parking lot on East 5th St. into deeply, permanently affordable and accessible housing for seniors and disabled people.

RSVP to carmenp@coopersquare.org or 212-228-8210.

Tell HPD: we need low-income housing for seniors and a community land trust on East 5th Street!

Cooper Square Committee and the This Land Is Ours Community Land Trust have been organizing for years to transform the parking lot on 324 East 5th Street into deeply, permanently affordable housing for low-income seniors. We've reached an important milestone in this fight. The City's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has begun its public engagement process for the site's development.

We want HPD to hear our vision for the site, loud and clear. Join us at HPD's Community Visioning Session on Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 6 to 8 PM. We will be showing up strong at Speyer Hall (184 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002). Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP here.

If you can't attend, tell HPD we want deeply affordable senior housing on the site through their Project Questionnaire.

Our older neighbors made this neighborhood what it is. Seniors deserve to remain in our community!

Save the date! CSC and TakeRoot Justice will be hosting a Housing Court 101 Training on February 27 at 7 PM.

More details to come!

Wonder how Cooper Square beat Robert Moses and kept hundreds of apartments affordable? Want to learn how to organize against big landlords and win? Looking to connect with others in the neighborhood? 

Join us for a film screening of Rabble Rousers and a community discussion afterwards! 

Light snacks provided.