Every New Yorker needs clean clothes. And, while doing laundry is an essential part of daily life that brings a sense of dignity, for many Williamsburg residents, each load is becoming increasingly cost-prohibitive as laundromats charge more, or even close, due to rising rents.
Nina Scholl, who has lived in Williamsburg for eight years, used to do her laundry 10 minutes away from her apartment. But that laundromat is changing ownership and is temporarily closed.
“Now, most of the time I just went back to use my friend’s building to do my laundry, which only costs $1 per load,” said Scholl.
Another laundromat called Celsious sold drinks for people who wanted to hang out while they cleaned their clothes, but during the pandemic, the laundromat made it drop off only and hasn’t returned to previous services, Scholl said. According to Celsius’ price listings, for smaller loads, the price starts at $13 for up to 10 lbs; the X-Large one costs up to $30; and some special offers are even more expensive: up to $59.
“It is quite expensive,” she said.
Gentrification is not new in Williamsburg, but now residents can’t afford to do basic laundry due to the rising costs, which is caused by rising rents. Laundry prices are compounding a housing and economic crisis for the many New Yorkers who are rent burdened.
Even the remaining affordable laundry in the neighborhood is becoming less so.
“Normally, it costs $.25 for a 6-minute period of time to do laundry. Used to be $.25 for 7 minutes,” said Jack Downs, a resident who has lived in Williamsburg for six years.
Many buildings in New York City were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when in-unit laundry was uncommon, so the plumbing and electrical systems in these buildings may not be able to handle multiple laundry machines.
“People don’t have an in-door washer/dryer, depending on the age of house, the status of plumbing,” said David Malone, a resident who has lived in Williamsburg for 24 years. “Most people are renters, it’s not really up to you to install one. It’s luxury to have that in your home.”
Meanwhile, those living in the many renovated or newly- built apartments and luxury condos in the area are more likely to have in-unit or in-building washers and dryers and not need laundry services.
In-home laundry statistics for both rental and owned units also show that a fraction of New Yorkers have access. According to StreetEasy, a marketplace that provides information on real estate listings in New York City, there are currently more than 3,800 rentals available in New York City with in-unit laundry. That’s roughly 27% of all available rental units. Of the 18,500 apartments listed for sale on the website, about 7,300, or about 39%, have in-unit laundry.
More upscale laundromats have also emerged in the past few years in Williamsburg to cater to its wealthier residents, Williamsburg locals say. In some ways, the laundromat has become a new cultural venue in this neighborhood as laundromats rebrand as social spaces that offer a variety of experiences to their Brooklyn clients: “laundromat hangouts,” laundromat dates,” “minimart shopping in the laundromat,” and even “laundromats with an attached bar.”
The added social experiences these rebranded laundromats are offering come at higher costs.
According to a new survey from RentHop, an online apartment searching platform, Northwest neighborhoods in Brooklyn like Williamsburg have also become more expensive for renters in 2024 compared to the previous year. In this area, renters can expect to spend at least $4,000 on a one-bedroom apartment. The residential building rent will also influence the commercial rent fee, which climbs up and makes it harder for mom-and-pop laundromat businesses to afford the rent for their storefront space.
“The commercial rents have gone up faster than inflation compared to when I moved in to have a business around here, when many commercial rents were much lower, even adjusted for inflation,” said Jacob Sloan, a resident who has lived in Williamsburg for 20 years.
Popular new builds and renovated townhouses with outdoor space continue to attract renters with Manhattan budgets, further driving up prices.
“There used to be four laundromats in this area, but now it’s only two,” said Yolanda Hernandez, a resident who has lived been living in Williamsburg for 47 years. “The management changed, rent has gone up, and the renovation of this area, a lot of new bars and restaurants. That’s why they closed.”