Evictions Anticipated as MTA Advances Second Avenue Subway Expansion

As the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) pushes forward with the next stage of the Second Avenue Subway, dozens of residents and business owners across East Harlem face eviction. The agency has initiated legal actions to seize 33 properties, primarily along Second Avenue and 125th Street, with the goal of constructing new subway stations at these locations.

Records indicate that some property seizures could occur as soon as October 15. The MTA asserts it is utilizing eminent domain—the government’s power to take private property for public use provided just compensation is offered. To date, the agency has started proceedings on at least 13 properties, including some that are vacant. Despite repeated inquiries, officials haven’t provided a full list of targeted properties, though it is publicly available online.

One affected resident, Aaliyah Vasquez, expressed her distress over her grandmother’s eviction notice for their apartment at 2058 Second Ave., emphasizing her grandmother’s long-standing ties to the neighborhood and local businesses she frequents. Vasquez questions the legality of uprooting residents for infrastructure development, even as she assists her grandmother in seeking alternative housing.

Historically, the MTA’s initial phase of the project, completed in 2017 at a cost of $4.45 billion, allocated approximately $10 million for relocating residents, with support such as financial aid and assistance from moving resources. The upcoming second phase, estimated at $7.7 billion, aims to cause fewer relocations, though the total costs are still being finalized.

During a recent board meeting, officials approved a $1.9 billion contract to begin tunneling and construction of two new stations, with key political figures like Governor Kathy Hochul attending. MTA officials highlighted progress in property acquisition efforts, noting the project is significantly ahead of where it was during the first phase.