EL BARRIO’S OPERATION FIGHTBACK Operation Fightback began in 1983 when a group of East Harlem residents decided to take action against drug dealing in their building. After a long court battle the tenants prevailed, and today their building is a low income co-op owned by the tenants. During the mid 1980s, most of the organization’s housing efforts focused on tenants rights, tenant organizing, building crisis intervention, and housing advocacy. In the early 1990s, the New York Enterprise Foundation awarded EBOF a contract to renovate three vacant city-owned buildings. Since then, the organization has led the charge in housing renovations in East Harlem and has become the largest Hispanic housing developer in the community. To date EBOF has been involved in the rehabilitation of 18 buildings and has created more than 225 new housing units for East Harlem residents. EBOF is led by Gustavo “Gus” Rosado, an East Harlem native who has been active in the community since the 1980s. Mr. Rosado has spent two decade in community service in East Harlem. As Executive Director of EBOF since 1985, he has managed its evolution from a $20,000 per year operation to an organization that has developed more than $14 million in housing for the East Harlem community. EBOF’s mission is to provide affordable housing, supportive services, education, advocacy and economic development opportunities to low-income families in East Harlem in order to support families and promote neighborhood development. |
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