Roosevelt Ave is an 'urban crime zone', community demands change

QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Around 200 people gathered on Roosevelt Avenue Sunday afternoon, calling for elected leaders to take more action on organized crime, notably against brothels and open prostitution.

Held by former New York State Senator and Councilman Hiram Nonserrate and the Let's Improve Roosevelt Ave Coalition, the rally took place steps away from an illegal brothel that was raided last month by the NYPD.

Despite being shut down, the illegal brothel appeared to reopen just days later. PIX11 visited the location and encountered four women sitting on a sidewalk outside a doorway behind a bodega, offering a full body massage for $60 per hour.

"Two days later they reopened," said Monserrate. "We came here last night and they were here. The brothel on 90th Street near the school is still operating. We probably have about 50-60 active brothels and well over 100 women walking the streets and selling sex. The community is sick and tired of it."

Let's Improve Roosevelt Ave Coalition rallied for more support, calling the area an "urban crime zone", citing the presence of organized drug rings, human traffickers, and shoplifting syndicates.

Residents of Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, especially those raising families, argue that their quality of life has deteriorated tremendously.

"The brothels used to be only at night but now they are in broad daylight," said Karen Abreu. "There's garbage and illegal vendors. It's turning bad."

"My teenage son and my grandson should not be exposed to prostitutes walking on 99th Street where they are two elementary schools," said Nelly Rodriguez, a grandmother who walks her grandson to P.S. 19 in Corona daily. "The City gets an F on their report card."

Several small businesses have reported that organized shoplifting rings steal only to sell the products on Roosevelt Avenue. "The flawed bail laws and the no arrest policy for shoplifting are killing our local shops," said local small business owner John Vargas. "Do our leaders want more shuttered storefronts?"

Monserrate says this is the first of many rallies and organized gatherings that he and other community members will lead to make the streets safe again.