CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE

Hostos United/Hostos Unido issued this news release on April 14th of 1978 to describe the current state of the occupation of the 500 Grand Concourse building and to offer context for how the occupation fit into a larger strategy to achieve their goals. The release describes the ways that the space was being used for classes and childcare. It also describes letter writing campaigns and other actions involved in pressuring the Mayor to acquiesce. To draw more public attention to their cause, and to demand needed funding to complete renovations to the building, students and faculty occupied the property to pressure Mayor Koch and other officials to enable bond sales and renovations to proceed.

By 1977, the third part of the campaign to save Hostos Community College had picked up momentum. Having extremely poor facilities, the college had acquired a second building across the street from its original location that would allow Hostos to expand. However, the 500 Grand Concourse building needed renovations to be useable but the college had been denied the funds necessary to prepare and occupy their second building. A fresh wave of organizing by students and faculty drove efforts to enable Hostos to continue to be a hub of opportunity for residents of the South Bronx.