Help Us Rebuild: Safe Housing After Years of Crisis

My partner Julian Acosta and I have been together for over seven years. We are both born-and-raised New Yorkers who’ve spent the last few years just trying to survive in a city that has grown increasingly difficult to live in especially without a safety net.

In 2020, we moved into our first home together. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. During the pandemic, that changed. After a fire in a neighboring unit, our apartment was flooded. The moisture damage was ignored, and over time, toxic mold spread throughout the space. That mold severely impacted our health, but we didn’t have the resources or support to fight for repairs or relocation. Our roommate left the country for medical treatment thankfully, however the health care in NYC left us sick and uninformed about our rights as tenants.

We’ve moved from one unsafe, unstable rental to another. Each time, landlords took advantage of our desperation. Some refused basic repairs. Others denied us a lease. In one unit, we endured winters without heat, pest infestations, and broken security doors. Despite this, we always paid rent in full and on time.

Eventually, our savings ran out. I got much sicker than I realized. I was misdiagnosed multiple times while my health declined. I began fainting at work, experiencing neurological symptoms, and bleeding excessively during my menstrual cycles. I wore diapers and changed through multiple layers every 15 minutes. The pain was unbearable. I cried at my desk and feared I was dying without knowing why.

In December, I underwent emergency surgery. Doctors found a large growth in my uterus that was crushing my right kidney. They believe exposure to toxic materials in these illegal units may have contributed to the rapid growth. I was also diagnosed with three brain lesions on the right side of my brain, likely linked to exposure to corrosive gasses used improperly by a previous landlord.

Meanwhile, one of our roommates who has since disappeared to another state, stole $2,000 in rent money from the household and left the apartment in disarray. We had no legal lease to protect us, and my illness made it impossible to keep working full-time. We reported everything, but nothing came of it.

Despite all of this, I never gave up on school. I’m currently enrolled in esthetician training and will graduate in October 2025. Julian works two jobs. We’ve finally become eligible for housing assistance through HRA’s One Shot Deal and we’ve researched third-party guarantor programs to meet rental requirements.

We’re not asking for pity. We’re asking for a chance. Right now, we are living night to night in a hotel. We only have tonight left. We have no home to go back to, and every step forward requires funding whether it’s for transit, food, cleaning supplies for work, or just one more night of shelter while we wait for approval.

We are looking to raise funds to help cover:

    •    Temporary shelter while we secure housing

    •    Transportation and basic living expenses

    •    Cleaning supplies and work materials to begin side gigs

    •    Application and processing fees for rentals

Every single dollar makes a difference. Your support will help us break the cycle of survival and finally begin to live again. We want a chance to contribute to our community, finish school, and live in peace which is something we’ve been denied for far too long.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for reading, sharing, and supporting us. We are deeply grateful.

With love and resilience,

J+X

Update 1: We are truly appreciative for everyone who has shared our story and helped us during this time. We were able to extend our stay for one more week while we continue to apartment hunt.

Update 2: I finished my first week back to school in person! I was also able to find a job! I start a trial date this Thursday. This helps us get back on our feet sooner. We are trying to hang in there and make it to the end of the week.