Rochdale Village residents protest proposed 22.3% co-op fee increase

ROCHDALE, Queens (PIX11) — A proposed spike in monthly fees at one of the largest co-ops in the country is causing outrage in Queens. 

Residents of Rochdale Village co-op complex rallied Wednesday, pushing back against a proposed 22.3 percent spike in monthly co-op fees — a move they say would hit families hard. Longtime resident Phyllis Williams-Corney said an increase would be devastating.  

“It’ll impact me 'cause I can’t afford it,” Williams-Corney said. “I’m on a fixed income.”

She added, “It makes no sense, and then even if I could afford it, it don’t leave no money for nothing else.”

According to the co-op’s bulletins circulated earlier this year, Rochdale Village’s board of directors cited a monthly cash flow shortfall that has left the co-op unable to pay key expenses, including a $13 million debt to the New York City Water Board and more than $8 million owed to contracted vendors.

The board is projecting a $48.2 million shortfall over the next two years. Residents, however, tell PIX11 News they shouldn’t be held responsible for years of mismanagement, negligence, and lack of oversight.

“It’s absurd that we pay good money to management companies and we elect board members who would allow it to get to that point,” said Jacques Armand, a resident at Rochdale Village. 

He added, “That must’ve been happening over time. What steps are we taking to resolve that?”

Rochdale Village is home to more than 20,000 residents and was originally established under the Mitchell-Lama program — a state initiative designed to provide affordable housing for middle-class New Yorkers. The state’s housing agency, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, oversees the Mitchell-Lama program for the Queens co-op. 

An HCR spokesperson said in a statement, "As with all Mitchell-Lama housing companies, cooperators and the board must be in compliance with Mitchell-Lama statutes and regulations and have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure the financial integrity and self-sufficiency of the housing company. HCR does not comment on pending applications.”

Still, residents are hoping the state will reduce the proposed increase or do away with it altogether.

“I’m really hoping that we don’t get the increase or not this large amount of increase,” said longtime resident Selma Jackson.

The state has taken steps to help Mitchell-Lama buildings manage rising expenses, including $110 million in the fiscal year 2026 budget designated for preservation work in New York City, according to HCR sources. 

The proposed fee increase is currently awaiting state approval.