It’s not a good year for NYC’s community green spaces–a few months ago it was announced that Elizabeth Street Garden was endangered as demolition plans threatened to make room for senior affordable housing, luxury retail, and office space. And while Elizabeth Street Garden is still standing strong, a second community garden is now unfortunately facing eviction.
Smiling Hogshead Ranch, a volunteer-run community garden located in Long Island City, is now facing eviction after more than a decade of serving the community and welcoming all sans a waitlist.
The garden’s history dates back to 2011 when a group of Long Island City neighbors created a “guerilla garden” on a set of abandoned Degnon Terminal railroad tracks. In other words, the garden was originally created without permission, though once caught they worked with the MTA to obtain a lease and become a real-live non-profit.
Today, Smiling Hogshead Ranch organizes various events and outreach and serves as a safe, green space for anyone who’s interested in getting dirty, learning about composting, hearing a band in a garden, or simply enjoying the sun the sun. Though unfortunately its existence is in jeopardy.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority issued an eviction notice to the garden this past November, and though garden members were originally kept in the dark about the reason behind the decision, they do have their theories. QueensPost writes that “some garden members think the increase of asylum seekers in the nearby Austell Place shelter, many of whom hang out and sleep in the garden after dark, is one cause.”
The garden loitering reportedly started back in May 2024, serving as a refuge for people who were forced out of surrounding shelters due to Mayor Eric Adams’ enforcement of 30- and 60-day shelter limits. As a result, garden board member Raido Oja has estimated a membership loss of about half within the last year.
The MTA stopped by the garden in October for an inspection, and 30-day eviction notices were posted in several places throughout the garden by November 1st. The MTA has since been meeting with garden board members as well as Queens elected officials who have, as of now, extended the garden’s eviction date to December 31st.
An Instagram post from the garden is calling for New Yorkers to help them in saving the garden. The post states:
Help us resist the potential loss of Smiling Hogshead Ranch. This oasis is under threat of eviction…We have been in contact with the MTA who have been receptive to our concerns and we have requested that we want that notice to be officially rescinded….What we are seeing at the garden is the symptom of societal shifts that are too large for one small organization like us to address on our own. Kicking us off the land will do nothing to resolve these issues.
In addition to signing a petition in the garden’s Instagram bio, garden board members are also asking users to share their post, tell your community about the garden and their petition, and even visit the garden to “show the MTA that the loss of [their] garden would be a huge loss for the community.”
Garden board members are asking the MTA to:
- Rescind the eviction
- Collaborate with them to address the safety issues in the neighborhood
- Offer them a 5 year land use agreement in order to secure funding to improve the garden and offer more permanent infrastructure for gardeners and visitors alike
The petition currently has 1,411 signatures.
📍 25-30 Skillman Ave.