The People’s Forum quietly bought a three-story building in Manhattan’s Chelsea for $5.15 million and immediately launched a push to raise roughly another $5 million to turn it into what it calls a permanent base for its organizing work. That purchase, funded in part by a network tied to Neville Roy Singham, comes as federal and congressional investigators examine whether the network functions as a “foreign-aligned influence network.” The timing and secrecy around the deal have raised clear national security and accountability questions that deserve scrutiny.
The nonprofit paid $5.15 million in December 2024 for the property at 137 W. 14th Street, a narrow mixed-use lot with a roughly 2,580-square-foot footprint. City records show the building sold for about $4.3 million in 2022, so the group paid about $850,000 more just over two years later. Public filings also flag active violations and roughly $20,000 in civil penalties tied to elevators and the boiler system, signaling needed work.
The People’s Forum says it acts as a hub for more than 200 organizations and boasts it has published “over 25 revolutionary texts” and organized “over 6,000 events.” It is now asking supporters for millions to renovate what it describes as a shell, and it says a first target is to raise $2 million from individual donors by December 2026 as part of a $5 million campaign. The fundraising pitch arrives while legislators and federal agencies press for records around the wider network’s funding.
The group supporters on X Friday in a renewed appeal that included images of exposed wiring and other damage inside the building. Alongside those visuals, the organization repeated a familiar argument about creating a permanent base that “cannot be threatened by landlords or political attacks.” The post stressed urgency and appealed directly to followers for immediate cash to make the space usable.
Congressional leaders have used stark language about the broader network tied to Singham, saying it raises “significant concerns” about “foreign influence or control.” House investigators point to roughly $285 million allegedly funneled into the network since 2017, with about $22.5 million directed to the People’s Forum. Justice, State and Treasury officials have been reported to be investigating financial activity linked to these groups, which makes transparency essential.
https://x.com/PeoplesForumNYC/status/2052792959913869559
On the ground, the Chelsea storefront looked vacant and shuttered when visited, with a painted black façade and taped windows where a curtains business once stood. Property records list a footprint about 25 feet wide by 96 feet deep and show a metal fire escape running up the tan-colored exterior. The group says the space needs millions in renovations to be safe and functional for events and organizing work.
The People’s Forum used language on its site that “Our initial donation is running out,” and warned it faces a “critical new stage.” That admission underscores the group’s dependence on large donors and ongoing injections of cash to sustain operations. At the same time, the organization highlights a long history of demonstrations and partnerships with several left-wing groups across the country.
Organizing director David Chung signed a property ownership certification in October 2025, according to city filings, and has been identified in past reporting as directing protest activity in New York City. Chung has been captured on video calling supporters “comrades” and criticizing “the brutality of this imperialist system.” The organization has also posted material labeling the conflict in Gaza a “genocide” and has promoted chants of “Free Palestine.”
Executive director Manolo De Los Santos released a fundraising video describing the 200 organizations in the forum as “united in the struggle” for racial, gender, climate, and economic justice. He called the new building a “hub for learning and for organizing” where “we strategize… and build solidarity to fight back.” De Los Santos added, “Your contribution isn’t just a donation, it’s an investment in our collective future of freedom,” and framed giving as “a direct act of resistance.”
For lawmakers who favor stricter oversight, the purchase and expansion look like a test case for how groups funded by foreign-aligned money operate inside the U.S. The combination of an expensive Manhattan property, active building violations, incomplete public disclosure about financing, and ongoing investigations into large transfers tied to Singham compounds the concerns. Citizens and officials should demand clear accounting and robust answers about how this new headquarters was bought and how it will be funded moving forward.
WATCH: Organizing director of People’s Forum, funded by pro-China tycoon Neville Roy Singham, directs May Day streets protests in NYC
