The Legal Aid Society announced today that it has secured the United Order of Tents – the oldest Black women’s benevolent society in the United States – a property tax exemption for their Brooklyn headquarters, which will save the mansion from demolition and allow the organization to proceed with the renovations and continue their operations providing critical services to local residents.

The United Order of Tents was formed in 1848 to provide aid to those escaping slavery via the Underground Railroad. Since 1945, the organization’s Brooklyn chapter has owned and operated its Bedford-Stuyvesant headquarters, which has served as a central hub from which they have provided support to local communities by tending to the sick, feeding the poor, caring for the elderly, and burying the deceased. Beginning in 2019 and accelerating during the pandemic, the building fell into some disrepair as a result of mandatory stay-at-home and social distancing orders which forced members of the organization to meet virtually to avoid the spread of COVID-19, hampering their ability to care for the mansion’s needs.

In October of 2022, Legal Aid filed litigation against the New York City Department of Finance (DOF) for denying the United Order of Tents an exemption from real property tax, despite the organization’s status as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. The DOF erroneously believed that the headquarters was vacant.

The DOF announced Friday that the United Order of Tents’ application for Real Estate Tax Exemption for Nonprofit Organizations was approved, affording the organization the opportunity to seek grants for historic preservation that would enable rehabilitation of the premises.

“We are elated that the City finally agreed to grant the United Order of Tents this exemption to remain in their historic Bed-Stuy headquarters, serving the community for New Yorkers in need,” said Jacques David, a senior staff attorney in the Community Development Project at The Legal Aid Society. “The historical importance of this organization and their cultural heritage cannot be understated, and we thank the many elected officials, including Council Member Justin Brannan, who offered their support to help preserve this vital landmark.”