Affordable Housing

Hundreds of NYCHA apartments taken over by squatters as vacancies soar, report finds

Lilian Wald Houses in the East Village. Photo by Tdorante10 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia

March 4, 2026

Hundreds of NYCHA apartments taken over by squatters as vacancies soar, report finds

By Aaron Ginsburg

Squatters have occupied hundreds of New York City public housing apartments in recent years, as the number of empty units continues to rise, a new report shows. According to the report released Tuesday by the city’s Department of Investigation, the number of vacant NYCHA units increased from 2,840 in January 2022 to approximately 6,740 vacancies as of last May, despite 165,000 households waiting for an apartment. According to the DOI, the surge in empty units and the “absence of regular inspections” have fueled unauthorized occupancy, prompting the NYPD, DOI, and NYCHA to recover 548 apartments from illegal squatters over three years.
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Mamdani pitches 12,000-unit Sunnyside Yard development to Trump

Rendering from 2020 Sunnyside Yard master plan courtesy of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU)

February 27, 2026

Mamdani pitches 12,000-unit Sunnyside Yard development to Trump

By Devin Gannon

A mammoth plan to bring thousands of affordable homes to one of the largest undeveloped sites in New York City was resurrected this week. In a meeting at the White House on Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani pitched President Donald Trump on the Sunnyside Yard development, a proposal to build a deck over the 180-acre rail yard in Queens and create a new mixed-use community with 12,000 affordable apartments, new schools, and public space above a new regional rail hub. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration released a master plan for the project right before the city shut down during the pandemic in March 2020, and it has been at a standstill since. Mamdani said he asked the president for $21 billion in federal grants to advance the project.
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Bayside affordable housing project moves ahead, thanks to NYC’s new charter reforms

Credit: Department of City Planning

February 25, 2026

Bayside affordable housing project moves ahead, thanks to NYC’s new charter reforms

By Aaron Ginsburg

An anti-development New York City council member voted to approve a project in her district Sunday, citing a new ballot measure, supported by New Yorkers in November's election. Council Member Vickie Paladino, who represents District 19 in northeast Queens, voted to advance a 248-unit, eight-story development at 217-14 24th Avenue in Bayside. While she initially opposed the project, Paladino reversed course because the new measure gives a three-member appeals board, including the mayor, council speaker, and local borough president, to overturn rejections by the council.
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Mott Haven housing development is first to undergo new expedited review process

Rendering courtesy of STAT Architecture PC

February 20, 2026

Mott Haven housing development is first to undergo new expedited review process

By Devin Gannon

In last November's election, New Yorkers voted to approve four housing ballot measures, including one that speeds up construction by reducing the time it takes to review projects. On Friday, the city announced that the first-ever project to go through the new Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP), which shortens the review process from seven months to just 90 days, will be an affordable housing development in Mott Haven. Located at 351 Powers Avenue, the Powerhouse Apartments, first unveiled in 2024, will turn an empty city-owned lot into more than 80 affordable apartments, a community theater, and outdoor green space.
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Work begins on East Harlem tower with 340 affordable apartments and new arts center

Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

February 18, 2026

Work begins on East Harlem tower with 340 affordable apartments and new arts center

By Devin Gannon

An affordable housing project first conceived as part of the East Harlem rezoning 10 years ago has finally kicked off construction. The city on Wednesday broke ground on Timbale Terrace, a 100 percent affordable tower with 341 apartments and a new theater and performing arts center for Belongó, formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance. Located at East 118th Street and Park Avenue, the site sat vacant for decades before most recently serving as a police department parking lot.
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125 affordable apartments to replace long-vacant Clinton Hill building

February 17, 2026

125 affordable apartments to replace long-vacant Clinton Hill building

By Devin Gannon

Gov. Kathy Hochul last week unveiled plans to raze and replace an abandoned building in Clinton Hill with a new mixed-use tower with 125 affordable apartments. Following a request for proposals issued last year, the state has tapped a partnership of nonprofit groups, Fifth Avenue Committee, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, and One Brooklyn Health, to redevelop 1024 Fulton Street. Officials have tried several times to revamp the site between Grand and Classon Avenues since the 1990s.
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Live next to the Bronx Zoo, affordable apartments from $1,031/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

February 11, 2026

Live next to the Bronx Zoo, affordable apartments from $1,031/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Fifty-three low-income apartments are available at a new eight-story rental just steps away from the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden. Located at 872 Bronx Park South in West Farms, the building offers brand-new, affordable residences in close proximity to world-class institutions and expansive green space. New Yorkers earning 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $1,031/month studios to $2,636/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Hochul moves to reform environmental law to speed up housing construction

Credit: Susan Watts/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul on Flickr

February 10, 2026

Hochul moves to reform environmental law to speed up housing construction

By Aaron Ginsburg

To accelerate housing development across the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a series of reforms to New York’s environmental laws, which have delayed new projects for years. During an event with several elected officials on Tuesday, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the governor unveiled “common sense” reforms to the state’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), as well as executive actions to accelerate critical projects that, while not posing significant environmental impacts, have been caught in red tape and delays. The reforms also seek to cut bureaucratic hurdles for infrastructure projects, including clean water, green infrastructure, and parks, which are frequently slowed down by lengthy environmental review processes.
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20-story Murray Hill luxury rental opens lottery for 48 apartments, from $1,842/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

February 3, 2026

20-story Murray Hill luxury rental opens lottery for 48 apartments, from $1,842/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 48 mixed-income apartments at a new CetraRuddy-designed luxury rental development in Murray Hill. Rising 20 stories at 255 East 39th Street, The Lotus is a sustainability-focused building whose cutting-edge amenities, modern residences, and building systems are all designed in accordance with “vegan principles,” according to Brause Realty. New Yorkers earning 70 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $1,842/month studios to $4,518/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

New rental at Gowanus Wharf opens lottery for 65 apartments, from $903/month

Credit: Fogarty Finger Architects

January 23, 2026

New rental at Gowanus Wharf opens lottery for 65 apartments, from $903/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new 15-story rental at a growing residential complex along the Gowanus Canal has launched a housing lottery for 65 mixed-income apartments. Located at 251 Douglass Street, Douglass Port is the newest phase of Gowanus Wharf, a four-building development bringing 1,000 new residences, modern amenities, and a public waterfront esplanade to the neighborhood. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $903/month studios to $3,048/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

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Mamdani renews support for Morris Park hospital supportive housing project

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 20, 2026

Mamdani renews support for Morris Park hospital supportive housing project

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has revived a controversial supportive housing project at a Bronx hospital that would deliver more than 80 homes, including nearly 60 for formerly incarcerated people leaving Rikers Island. On Monday, Mamdani announced his support for “Just Home” at the NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi campus in Morris Park, a plan to convert a vacant hospital building into 83 affordable apartments, including 58 supportive units for New Yorkers exiting Rikers Island with medical conditions such as cancer or heart failure. Former Mayor Eric Adams initially supported the project when it was unveiled in 2022, but withdrew support ahead of the 2025 election, urging lawmakers to abandon the plan, according to Gothamist.
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Affordable Housing

Marble Hill rental with Harlem River views opens lottery for 35 apartments, from $3,180/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 15, 2026

Marble Hill rental with Harlem River views opens lottery for 35 apartments, from $3,180/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 35 middle-income apartments at a new luxury rental in Marble Hill overlooking the Harlem River. Located at 170 West 225th Street, The Danby rises seven stories and offers tenants brand-new residences with modern amenities, including a rooftop deck with sweeping river views. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,180/month one-bedrooms to $3,330/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

43-story Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 89 apartments, from $3,543/month

Images courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 13, 2026

43-story Downtown Brooklyn rental opens lottery for 89 apartments, from $3,543/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A striking new high-rise rental tower in Downtown Brooklyn designed with young professionals in mind has launched a housing lottery for 89 middle-income apartments. Rising 43 stories at 55 Willoughby Street, House 55 features sleek residential interiors and a suite of amenities tailored to a work-from-home lifestyle. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $3,543/month studios to $4,518/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Huge Broadway Triangle development opens lottery for 120 apartments, from $812/month

Credit: Fischer + Makooi

January 7, 2026

Huge Broadway Triangle development opens lottery for 120 apartments, from $812/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A huge mixed-use development in the Broadway Triangle section of Williamsburg opened a housing lottery for 120 affordable apartments. Developed by Rabsky Group, the project includes eight buildings across two blocks at a site formerly occupied by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. The development has been constructed in phases, with the latest bringing a 10-story affordable rental building to 11 Gerry Street. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $812/month one-bedrooms to $3,298/month four-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Mamdani signs housing, tenant protection orders on first day

Credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 2, 2026

Mamdani signs housing, tenant protection orders on first day

By Aaron Ginsburg

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has wasted little time advancing his campaign agenda, signing a series of executive orders on his first day in office, including three aimed at building new housing and protecting tenants. On Thursday, Mamdani signed the orders, which revamp the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and create two new task forces focused on streamlining housing construction, connecting New Yorkers to homes more quickly, and increasing supply by identifying qualifying city-owned properties. He also appointed Cea Weaver, executive director of Housing Justice for All and the New York State Tenant Block, as director of the revitalized Office to Protect Tenants.
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Broadway Junction development with 1,000 affordable units moves ahead after Council approval

All images courtesy of WXY Studio, unless noted otherwise

December 29, 2025

Broadway Junction development with 1,000 affordable units moves ahead after Council approval

By Aaron Ginsburg

A major redevelopment planned for a two-acre site surrounding the Broadway Junction transit hub in East New York advanced this month. The Council approved plans to build Herkimer-Williams, a four-building complex with up to 1,000 affordable homes, retail, community facilities, and open space. Developed by Totem, the mixed-use project has been shaped by nearly three years of public outreach, including over 100 meetings with residents and stakeholders.
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Converted former brewery in Murray Hill opens lottery for 28 apartments, from $940/month

Credit: NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 24, 2025

Converted former brewery in Murray Hill opens lottery for 28 apartments, from $940/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A former brewing company headquarters in Murray Hill, later converted into medical offices, has been reimagined once again. Now a residential development, the building at 650 First Avenue opened a housing lottery for 28 mixed-income apartments. The 11-story building first served as the Kips Bay Brewing Company's headquarters more than 120 years ago, and has been transformed by developer Lalezarian Properties into 111 residences, according to CityRealty. New Yorkers earning 40, 80, and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $940/month studios to $3,290/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Starting in 2026, NYC’s rent-stabilized apartments will be easier to find

Credit: Tyler Donaghy on Unsplash

December 23, 2025

Starting in 2026, NYC’s rent-stabilized apartments will be easier to find

By Aaron Ginsburg

Apartment hunters in New York City will have an easier time finding rent-stabilized units next year, as a new city law takes effect on January 1. Passed in June, Intro. 1037, also known as the Rent Transparency Act, requires landlords to more clearly publicize rent-stabilized units in their buildings and explain how prospective tenants can access further information. Sponsored by Council Member Sandy Nurse, the bill requires that a sign be posted in building common areas and made available in both English and Spanish.
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Former Midtown hotel to become 579 affordable apartments

Photos courtesy of Slate Property Group unless otherwise noted.

December 22, 2025

Former Midtown hotel to become 579 affordable apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

A former Midtown hotel is slated to become a permanently affordable housing building with nearly 600 units. On Monday, Slate Property Group and Breaking Ground announced the acquisition of the Stewart Hotel at 371 Seventh Avenue, which will be converted into 579 affordable apartments for low-income households and formerly homeless individuals. The purchase underscores an emerging strategy to address the city’s housing crisis by converting underused hotels into affordable housing, following the opening last week of the city’s first such development at the former JFK Hilton in South Jamaica, Queens.
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NYC will study feasibility of affordable housing on Wards Island

Aerial view of Randall’s and Wards Islands. Image via WikiCommons

December 19, 2025

NYC will study feasibility of affordable housing on Wards Island

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new City Council bill passed this week will explore the feasibility of creating affordable housing on Wards Island. Sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer, Intro. 0571 directs the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to publish a study assessing the potential for residential development on the 255-acre island at the northern end of the East River between Manhattan and Queens. Due by July 1, 2027, the study will examine costs, land-use restrictions, and the provision of services and amenities on Wards Island.
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NYC reveals plan for first combination affordable housing and rec center project

Renderings courtesy of the Hudson Mosaic Development Team

December 19, 2025

NYC reveals plan for first combination affordable housing and rec center project

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has selected a development team to build the city's first-ever combination affordable housing and recreation center project. The city announced on Thursday that Camber Property Group, Services for the UnderServed (S:US), and Essence Development will build "Hudson Mosaic," a mixed-use project with 280 affordable homes and a new community center on a vacant city-owned lot at 388 Hudson Street. The selection follows a request for proposals issued in February, which called for the redevelopment of the site’s northern portion, while a new public plaza is planned for the southern end.
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NY’s first hotel-to-affordable housing conversion near JFK Airport is now complete

Credit: Slate Property Group

December 18, 2025

NY’s first hotel-to-affordable housing conversion near JFK Airport is now complete

By Aaron Ginsburg

The transformation of a vacant hotel near John F. Kennedy International Airport into affordable housing is complete, marking New York’s first development of its kind. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced the completion of the Baisley Pond Park Residences in South Jamaica, which has turned the former JFK Hilton into 318 affordable and supportive apartments. The $167 million project—the first in the state to repurpose a hotel for affordable housing—features an indoor healing garden, on-site social services, and is fully electric.
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Affordable Housing

City unveils plan for 600 affordable homes, soccer field, and STEM center on vacant Inwood lot

Renderings courtesy of La Ostra Development Team

December 10, 2025

City unveils plan for 600 affordable homes, soccer field, and STEM center on vacant Inwood lot

By Devin Gannon

A plan to build hundreds of affordable homes on a vacant lot in Inwood is moving forward. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Wednesday announced Slate Property Group, Xenolith Partners, and Comunilife Inc. will develop "La Ostra" at 4095 9th Avenue. Designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning, PC (MAP), the Harlem River waterfront development will feature more than 600 affordable homes for low-income New Yorkers and seniors and a marine science and STEM education center operated by the Billion Oyster Project and BioBus.
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City taps developer to replace 100 Gold Street with 3,700 apartments

100 Gold Street. Photo courtesy of NYCEDC

December 9, 2025

City taps developer to replace 100 Gold Street with 3,700 apartments

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City has chosen a developer to turn an outdated Financial District government building into thousands of new apartments. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced that GFP Real Estate will redevelop the nine-story 100 Gold Street into a mixed-use development with 3,700 new homes, including 25 percent permanently affordable units, and a new senior center. The total number of housing units at the site increased substantially from the original 1,000+ apartments announced in March.
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