Many New Yorkers Are Fleeing The City And Vowing Never To Return

Reports of some New Yorkers leaving the city, with several of them saying they are doing so for good, are becoming rampant. The reason, when interviewed, is always the same. They say it is because of the rising cases of coronavirus infection and fatalities that have seemingly become uncontrollable.

Did Not Think Of Leaving

New Yorkers like Wendy Silverstein did not entertain thoughts of leaving the Big Apple for good. But when coronavirus threatened John Crellin, her 71-year-old husband, she found herself driving towards the tiny town of Canaan in Columbia County, NY. Silverstein, a 58-year-old design publicist, has been living in East Village for 30 years. While she admits feeling very sad in leaving her old place, she said that the safety of her family comes first.

At present, Silverstein and her husband are staying rent-free in a house owned by an associate of their friend. They said they are very much determined to settle down outside New York even if government officials say it is already safe to do so. According to Silverstein, she can do her work remotely, so she sees no need to return to the city and live there.

Similar Stories Everywhere

Many other New Yorkers living in one of the five boroughs are fleeing the city for safer havens. Some of them say they are temporarily doing so and only until the risks brought about by the coronavirus pandemic blows over. Several are going to their vacation homes in the Hamptons, while others prefer to live in their parents’ basements located in the Midwest. Many, however, are considering staying away for a long time and even permanently.

According to Dumbo Moving + Storage, the largest moving company in New York City, move requests is up 11% in March compared to the same period last year. The company’s CEO and founder, Lior Rachmany, said that this is unprecedented because people do not usually move this time of year. “The peak moving season begins in May, which is why this increase in moves is strictly due to COVID-19,” Rachmany said.

Less Dense Locations

Rachmany also revealed many New Yorkers are leaving West Harlem and Upper West Side for less dense locations in Long Island, Staten Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Some of them are even going to places as far as Washington, DC, and Massachusetts.