A prominent Brooklyn pastor is demanding the resignation of a top New York City Democratic Socialists of America leader following allegations involving a $1.5 million townhouse, unpaid rent and questionable union credentials.
Rev. Kevin McCall called on NYC-DSA co-chair Gustavo Gordillo, 38, to step down, accusing the socialist organization of failing to hold its leadership accountable to the standards it demands from others.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of Gordillo’s housing arrangements, family wealth and employment history as the socialist movement expands its political influence across New York City.
“The Democratic Socialists of America have become the Double Standards of America, demanding transparency, fairness, and accountability from everyone else while ignoring serious questions about one of their own,” McCall stated.
Gordillo, who reportedly receives a $95,000 annual salary from NYC-DSA, has faced criticism over his family’s considerable real estate holdings.
His parents purchased a nearly 2,000-square-foot townhouse in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood through Chucuito LLC in 2019 for just under $1 million.
The New York Post reported that the property is now valued at approximately $1.5 million.
His parents also reportedly own two multimillion-dollar homes in Florida, located in Weston and Boca Raton, with a combined estimated value of approximately $6 million.
McCall identified five areas requiring answers, including housing affordability, property ownership, renovation financing, union credentials and allegations of unpaid rent.
“The allegations surrounding NYC chapter co-chair Gustavo Gordillo raise troubling questions about whether he misled working-class New Yorkers about where he lived, how he obtained housing, and his labor credentials,” McCall said.
“DSA leaders and elected officials must answer these questions publicly and call for Gordillo’s resignation,” he added.
One central controversy involves allegations that the Bedford-Stuyvesant property was converted from a two-family residence into a single-family home.
McCall argues that eliminating a potential housing unit in a historically Black neighborhood contradicts the organization’s emphasis on affordable housing.
Questions have also surfaced regarding whether Gordillo paid rent while occupying the family-owned property.
His union credentials have generated additional controversy.
Gordillo previously identified himself as a union electrician, but the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3 reportedly removed him from its apprenticeship program in March.
Union officials said he had stopped attending required work and classes and never completed the qualifications necessary to become a fully credentialed electrician.
Reports also raised questions about whether union workers participated in renovations to the Brooklyn townhouse.
Meanwhile, court filings reportedly show Gordillo faced a housing dispute involving a separate Crown Heights apartment he rented during the renovations.
The legal action concerned three allegedly missed monthly rent payments of $2,500 each, totaling $7,500.
The housing case remained pending when previously reported, with no judgment issued at that time.
McCall argued that the allegations deserve particular scrutiny because of NYC-DSA’s public commitment to protecting tenants and working-class communities.
“At a time when NYCHA residents are living with mold, leaks, broken elevators, and apartments in desperate need of repair, it is unacceptable for a leader who claims to fight for housing justice to be connected to a luxury renovation that is reducing housing opportunities for Black residents in a historically Black Brooklyn community,” McCall said.
“That is not housing justice,” he continued. “That is not practicing what you preach.”
McCall has threatened to organize public demonstrations alongside clergy members and New York City Housing Authority residents unless the organization addresses his concerns.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani previously defended Gordillo, arguing that DSA members should determine their own leadership through the organization’s democratic process.
Neither Gordillo nor NYC-DSA responded to requests for comment cited in the reporting.
The controversy leaves the socialist organization facing questions about whether its leadership’s personal conduct reflects the housing and labor principles it publicly advocates.
