Families of varying races, from the large populations of Hispanics and whites, to the smaller Asian and black demographics, live mostly in one- and two-family houses in Woodhaven, Queens. To a person unfamiliar with the area, it would come across as suburban compared to the western end of Queens near Manhattan; very few apartment buildings can be found, and those that do exist don’t exceed beyond the fifth floor. The majority of the stores and small businesses can be found on Jamaica and Atlantic avenues.
Over three years ago, a block of new white-painted two-family homes were built on the site that once held St. Anthony’s Hospital. New families who had never lived in the Woodhaven area before emigrated there; it was near the subway, an elementary school, and was considered to be in a safe neighborhood, so potential home-bowers flocked to the area, despite the high cost – at nearly $750,000 in 2006 – and rising mortgage prices.
The mortgages for the two-family homes are paid for partially – around $1,800 to $2,000 today – by the tenants who either inhabit the second floor or the basement area – whichever has been set as a separate household – of the three-story house. If the homeowner is unable to acquire a tenant for over a month, they are the ones left playing the full mortgage amount for any of the homes between Woodhaven Boulevard and 96th Street.
One such homeowner, who lives near the 96th Street end of the block, stated that she went “months without” someone living in the second floor apartment last year. A woman of Hispanic origin, she and her family were forced to pay the over $5,000 monthly mortgage out of their own pockets, without the aid of tenant rent. However, a Muslim family moved into the empty apartment a few months ago, eradicating the financial problems the homeowners previously had.
There are prices met with having to keep a steady tenant living in the two-family home. Not far down the road from the Hispanic family on 90th Avenue, a homeowner has had to deal with loud and unruly tenants, whom she can not remove because he needs them to pay the rent in order to fill the mortgage quota. If she did not have the tenants around, it would be an extra $2,000 for him to pay, rather than someone else chipping in.
Not wanting to give her name – as many other homeowners did not, and therefore refused to talk about the living situation with their tenants, for fear of losing their leaseholders – the woman, R, said she had no choice in the matter.
“I can’t do anything about it. We need the money,” she said, her voice both irritable and full of resignation.
With the exception to a few homes that have loud tenants and even noisier animals, including dogs – from large brown breeds to small terriers – who bark and yelp fiercely on the sight of passersby on the street, the block is relatively quiet.
The tenants themselves come across as a bit more indifferent about whatever potential problems there may be with their landlords. Adalis Velez, who lives with two roommates in her apartment near 96th Street, stands her ground on whatever trouble there may be with the owners.
“When can we play music?” she asks wearily, when confronted on noise issues with her neighbors and landlords.
With the financial crisis tightening wallets, homeowners with extra rooms and apartments to spare are desperate to fill them with tenants willing to pay. Barking animals, tension between neighbors and loud music and noise aside, sacrifices have to be made in order to make the mortgage, or else fear the possibility of a foreclosure.