A landlord-tenant dispute between two New York City influencers has escalated into a public online feud, drawing significant attention from their social media followers.
Emily Dukes, known online as 'cozygrocery,' documented her housing troubles in a multi-part TikTok series, describing the situation as "horribly traumatizing." Dukes, an artist, moved into a sublease with Marlyn Rodriguez, who uses the handle 'marylnlikethefish,' with the understanding that they would both resign the lease in July. However, Rodriguez informed Dukes earlier this month that she would not be renewing the lease and planned to move out.
Dukes stated she was willing to find a new roommate to take over Rodriguez's portion of the lease. According to Dukes, Rodriguez then asserted that she was not leaving and that Dukes, as the subletter, would need to vacate the apartment. Rodriguez, in turn, posted videos addressing Dukes's public disclosures, asserting that she is indeed leaving the apartment.
Faced with the prospect of remaining in the apartment alone, Dukes launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover potential costs. She explained on the fundraising page that she moved in with the expectation of staying but is now at her breaking point due to the roommate conflict and what she described as dealing with "slummy landlords." As of Sunday afternoon, the fundraiser had garnered over $4,700 towards a $5,500 goal.
The public reaction to Dukes's social media posts has been mixed. Some commenters have suggested she is overreacting, with one user advising her to "get a diary and move out." Others questioned why she was focusing on publicizing the issue rather than searching for a new residence. Conversely, a segment of her audience has offered support, with one follower commenting, "Why is it up to her? Just stay! She can’t make you leave." Rodriguez has also received support online, with one user stating, "We're all on your side."