Affordable Housing

Two years ago, the city and MacQuesten Development broke ground on Van Sinderen Plaza, a redevelopment of two vacant lots in East New York into a 155,000-square-foot mixed-use complex with 130 high-quality affordable apartments, as well as retail and community space. Located just off the New Lots Avenue stop on the L train, the two-building project was built for extremely low-, very low-, and low-income households, or those earning 30, 40, 50, or 60 percent of the area median income. Apartments range from $413/month one-bedrooms to $1,281/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Apply for 67 middle-income units near the J, M, Z lines in Bushwick, from $1,759/month

Via Manny Moss on Flickr

October 29, 2018

Apply for 67 middle-income units near the J, M, Z lines in Bushwick, from $1,759/month

For those looking to move away from the soon-to-be-shuttered L train but remain in Brooklyn, this affordable housing lottery may be a decent solution. Applications are now being accepted for 67 middle-income apartments across two buildings in Bushwick, both conveniently near the J, M, Z subway lines. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from $1,759/month studios to $2,506/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Photo via pxhere

October 25, 2018

If living in the theater district is your thing, 28 middle-income apartments are up for grabs

New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can now apply for 28 middle-income units at the Avalon Midtown West. The 41-story, 440-unit rental is located at the southeast corner of Eighth Avenue and 50th Street, so if living across from the Gershwin Theatre and swarms of "Wicked" fans doesn't sound appealing this may be a pass. The available units range from $2,138/month studios to $2,993/month two-bedrooms. This may not sound immediately "affordable," but market-rate apartments of that size are going for $3,329 and $5,827, meaning you're actually getting close to a 50-percent discount.
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Affordable Housing

Over 70 affordable units up for grabs in new luxury Clinton Hill rental, from $913/month

Via RXR Realty

October 18, 2018

Over 70 affordable units up for grabs in new luxury Clinton Hill rental, from $913/month

Applications are now being accepted for 73 affordable rentals in a new Brooklyn building located in the middle of Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, and Fort Greene. Developed by RXR Realty, the 12-story building at 810 Fulton Street is expected to open in 2019. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $913/month studios to $1,183/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Not-so-affordable housing lottery launches for 8 units in East Williamsburg, from $2,253/month

Via CityRealty

October 17, 2018

Not-so-affordable housing lottery launches for 8 units in East Williamsburg, from $2,253/month

While 130 percent of the area median income is technically considered affordable in New York City, paying $2,253/ month for a one-bedroom apartment in East Williamsburg is still hard to swallow. The neighborhood does have a lot to offer in terms of nightlife and cultural activities, but the area's transit options, mainly the soon-to-be-shuttered L train, leave a lot to be desired for those commuting to Manhattan. But if you can look past the price and the far-out location, consider applying for eight middle-income units at 310 Graham Avenue, a newly constructed seven-story building. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the AMI can apply for the apartments ranging from $2,253/month one-bedrooms to $3,132/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Via Jonathan Kirschenfeld Architects

October 11, 2018

Lottery launches at brand new rental in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,525/month

Applications are now being accepted for 51 middle-income apartments and The Clark, a newly constructed 8-story building in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. The Brooklyn building, located at 310 Clarkson Avenue just a short walk from Prospect Park, features a ton of amenities, including an attended lobby, in-unit washer/dryer, dog run, fitness center, a media room, co-working space, and a furnished penthouse space. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments ranging from $1,525/month studios to $2,635/month three bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

October 11, 2018

Live at 15 Hudson Yards for just $858/month, lottery opens for 107 affordable units

Hudson Yards' first residential building to rise, the 88-story 15 Hudson Yards, has just opened its affordable housing lottery for 107 of its nearly 300 units. Listings for the market-rate condos went live two years ago, ranging from a $3.8 million two-bedroom to a $32 million penthouse. By comparison, the affordable rentals, available to New Yorkers earning 50 or 60 percent of the area median income, range from $858/month studios to $1,350/month two-bedrooms. And in addition to the incredible price point, residents will have access to all of the mega-development's amenities, including new parkland, The Shed performance space, and plenty of retail and restaurant space. Plus, 15 Hudson Yards has a 24-hour attended lobby, two floors of wellness offerings including a gym, yoga studio, and swimming pool, and a skytop lounge with views of the Hudson River and Thomas Heatherwick's huge climbable installation, the Vessel.
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Affordable Housing

October 3, 2018

Mapping the growing pressure of residential displacement in NYC

While tenant displacement is happening in every New York City borough, the reason behind it differs from neighborhood to neighborhood. An updated, interactive map from the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development (ANHD) looks at the loss of rent-regulated housing, property sales, construction permits, and evictions across the city's 763,000 residential properties as a way to determine the risk of residential displacement in every NYC community (h/t Curbed NY).
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Affordable Housing

October 2, 2018

100-unit lottery opens at all-affordable wing of Taconic’s Hell’s Kitchen rental, from $1,091/month

Nearly five years ago, the city rezoned a portion of Hell's Kitchen to allow the Clinton Housing Development Corporation and developers Taconic Investment Partners and Ritterman Capital to undertake a two-building residential project between 10th and 11th Avenues. The larger of the two, a 22-story rental with 392 units at 525 West 52nd Street, launched an affordable housing lottery for 80 apartments two summer ago. The shorter, 13-story component is located next door at 540 West 53rd Street, and as of today, New Yorkers earning 80, 100, 125, or 165 percent of the area median income can apply for all 102 of its residences. They range from $1,091/month studios to $3,270/month two-bedrooms and have access to amenities including two terraces, children's "splash pad," a fitness center, laundry room, and the adjacent public community garden.
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Affordable Housing

Live at Waterline Square for $1,041/month, lottery launches for 250+ affordable units

Applications are now being accepted for 269 affordable apartments across three buildings at a development on the Upper West Side known as Waterline Square. The trio of luxury high-rises is located between West 59th Street and West 61st Street on the Hudson River and contains a new 2.6-acre park. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $1,041/month studio to a $1,553/month three-bedroom. As 6sqft reported last week, construction at the five-acre waterfront site continues to wrap up.
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Affordable Housing

Steps from the Bronx Zoo, 58 affordable apartments for seniors up for grabs

1880 Boston Road rendering via SLCE Architects

October 1, 2018

Steps from the Bronx Zoo, 58 affordable apartments for seniors up for grabs

A lottery launched this week for 58 affordable units of senior housing in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. Located at 1880 Boston Road, the development contains 167 affordable apartments with amenities including a yoga room, community room, art studio, library, and a rooftop terrace. The building is just a few blocks south of the Bronx Zoo and sits next to the Bronx River. Available studio and one-bedroom apartments are set aside for seniors who are 62 years or older and who earn a maximum of $31,750 annually. Each eligible resident pays 30 percent of their income and will need to qualify for Section 8.
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Affordable Housing

New York City has lost over 400,000 affordable apartments since 2005

Via Pixabay

September 26, 2018

New York City has lost over 400,000 affordable apartments since 2005

Update 9/27/18: City Comptroller Scott Stringer said the report released this week about the decrease in affordable housing contained a major miscalculation, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Instead of the 1 million affordable apartments lost, as the report stated, the true number is less than half of that, or 425,492 units. According to an updated report, the number of apartments renting for $2,700/month increased by 111,000 units between 2005 and 2017, instead of 238,000 units as originally stated. "While it remains true that affordable housing is declining at an unsettling rate and the gap is still growing, we overstated the pace," Ilana Maier, a spokesperson for Stringer, said in a statement. "We made a genuine mistake." Since 2005, New York City has lost over 1 million affordable apartments, according to a report released by the City Comptroller Scott Stringer on Tuesday. The report, "The Gap is Still Growing," builds from an original 2014 analysis from the comptroller's office and shows the number of available units has failed to keep up with the city's booming population. Between 2005 and 2016, about 576,000 people moved to NYC. But the city added just over 76,000 new units of rental housing.
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Affordable Housing

New report shows NYC landlords falsified 10,000+ work permits in 2.5 years

Image by Jorbasa Fotografie / Flickr

September 24, 2018

New report shows NYC landlords falsified 10,000+ work permits in 2.5 years

Recent news of Kushner Companies' filing of false documents outlining the residential makeup of their buildings in order to get construction permits has prompted a closer look at the practice, which, according to Politico, has been rampant among New York City property owners for years with few consequences. Last month the Department of Buildings fined Kushner Companies $210,000 for repeatedly submitting inaccurate paperwork. Tenant advocacy group Housing Rights Initiative (HRI) will release a report Monday outlining how landlords filed more than 10,000 deceptive PW1s (Plan/Work Applications) in the span of two and a half years.
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The building sits near Underwood Park, Clinton Hill. Image: Wiki Commons

September 21, 2018

Live in a Clinton Hill building with a roof deck and gym, from $867/month

At the crossroads where Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights and Fort Greene meet, apartments at this newly-minted seven-story, 38-unit building at 840 Fulton Street have in-unit laundry, plus the building features a residents' lounge, a fitness center, and a rooftop deck. Eight affordable units are currently available to households who earn between $31,612 and $62,580 (60 percent of the area median income) annually. The units range from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

September 21, 2018

Lottery launches for 200+ affordable units in East New York, from $395/month

A lottery is set to launch on Saturday for 240 affordable apartments in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood. The units are spread across a brand new mixed-use development, the Livonia Apartments, located at 453 Hinsdale Street, 500 Livonia Avenue, and 487 Livonia Avenue. Designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP), the four-building development sits adjacent to the L Train at Livonia Avenue. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $395/month studios to $1,339/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

New report shows increased spending to house homeless New Yorkers in shelters

Photo via Public Domain

September 20, 2018

New report shows increased spending to house homeless New Yorkers in shelters

According to a new city management report, during the 2017 fiscal year, the city spent an average of $99 a day to house single adults in facilities in New York City; in fiscal year 2018, that number grew to $117 a day, the Wall Street Journal reports. The cost of housing homeless families in shelters rose in fiscal year 2018 as well, with over 22,340 children living in shelters–an average of $192 a day compared to $171 in fiscal year 2017. It cost $147 each day to house adult families in fiscal year 2018 compared with $138 a day a year prior. According to the city's Department of Homeless Services, the bigger numbers are the result of an increased investment in services, repairs and security at shelters.
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Live in a new East Williamsburg building with roof deck and courtyard for $801/month

Rendering via JW Real Estate Services

September 19, 2018

Live in a new East Williamsburg building with roof deck and courtyard for $801/month

If the Manhattan-fication of Williamsburg proper isn't quite your thing but you still want some of that artsy, gritty edge, consider heading a bit east. And if your household earns 60 percent of the area median income, or between $33,875 and $62,580 annually, you might want to apply for one of the 25 affordable units currently available at 125 Borinquen Place, a new 133-unit rental building with an impressive roster of amenities: a rooftop with hammocks, cabanas, dining, and outdoor movies; an indoor cinema room; a duplex fitness center; co-working areas; and a lovely landscaped courtyard. The units range from $801/month studios to $974/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Willets Point from Citi Field. Image: Wiki Commons.

September 18, 2018

Could affordable housing plans for Willets Point be scrapped for airport construction parking?

The city and developers have filed preliminary plans to pave a 6.5 acre stretch of city land for 665 parking spots, Crains reports. The economic development site within the industrial neighborhood of Willets Point, in Corona, Queens also known as the Iron Triangle was slated for a cleanup of its toxic soil and the creation of affordable and senior housing, plans which resulted in the demolition of a cluster of small businesses.
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Lottery opens for 95 affordable units in the Bronx’s Kingsbridge neighborhood, from $860/month

Kingsbridge Armory via Flickr cc

September 17, 2018

Lottery opens for 95 affordable units in the Bronx’s Kingsbridge neighborhood, from $860/month

It's no wonder the city has spent the better part of the past decade trying to redevelop the former Kingsbridge Armory into the country’s largest ice skating complex--it's less than a block from the 4 train and three blocks from the D and B trains and a quick walk to the Fordham University campus. And for residents moving into the area, it's just a few blocks from the large Jerome Park, St. James Park, and Poe Park. With all this in mind, a new development has sprung up across from the Armory at 2700 Jerome Avenue. The 13-story, 134-unit building is a mix of affordable and supportive housing and retail, and as of today, New Yorkers who earn 60 or 90 percent of the median income can apply for 95 units that fall into the first category. The available apartments range from $860/month studios to $1,940/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Apply for three middle-income units in Brooklyn’s historic Weeksville

Weeksville’s historic Hunterfly Road Houses via Wiki Commons

September 17, 2018

Apply for three middle-income units in Brooklyn’s historic Weeksville

After the state of New York State abolished slavery in 1827, the country's second-largest free black community was established in Brooklyn. Known as Weeksville, today the neighborhood falls a bit under the radar, surrounded by more sought-after neighborhoods like Crown Heights and Bed Stuy. But it's a charming little enclave, lined with many two-family homes and small brick rowhouses, that has done well to preserve its history. And just down the street from the Weeksville Heritage Center is a new 10-unit rental building at 1520 Prospect Place that just opened an affordable housing lottery for three $2,098/month one-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

September 14, 2018

Plans revealed to convert abandoned hospital in Greenpoint into affordable housing complex

Shuttered since 1982, the Greenpoint Hospital will soon be home to a new mixed-use development with roughly 500 units of affordable housing, as well as a shelter for 200 homeless New Yorkers. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced on Thursday it will work with St. Nicks Alliance, Hudson Companies Incorporated, and Project Renewal on the project, with the design led by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) and Architecture Outfit. The 3.4-acre site, located at 288 Jackson Street, will include two newly constructed buildings and two rehabilitated historic buildings.
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Affordable Housing

New Bronx affordable housing lottery tries to make ‘Mott Haven North’ a thing

Rendering of 764 East 152nd Street via UA Builders Group

September 14, 2018

New Bronx affordable housing lottery tries to make ‘Mott Haven North’ a thing

We've seen it all over Manhattan and Brooklyn--brokers come up with bizarre acronyms and new directional cues to hip-ify (aka gentrify) a neighborhood. Most recently, they tried their hand at SoHa--South Harlem, which certainly didn't stick. And now the trend has spread to the Bronx, though this time it's the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development behind the new moniker. In their defense, "Mott Haven North," was probably chosen for the latest affordable housing lottery based on their 1994 Mott Haven North Urban Renewal plan, but with this South Bronx neighborhood rapidly gentrifying, it's a slippery slope. Regardless, there are eight $1,379/month one-bedrooms up for grabs at 764 East 152nd Street, which, according to maps, is in the Woodstock area.
More info ahead

Affordable Housing

Latest StuyTown affordable housing lottery opens, rents from $1,462/month

Via StuyTown Property Services

September 13, 2018

Latest StuyTown affordable housing lottery opens, rents from $1,462/month

A lottery launched this week for newly available apartments at Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in the East Village. New Yorkers earning 80 and 165 percent of the area median income (or between $43,860 and $268,620 annually) can apply for the available units, which range from $1,462/month studios to $5,508/month five-bedrooms. As Manhattan's largest rental community, StuyTown includes a 24-hour on-site property manager, laundry, a cafe, children's playroom, a fitness center and shared outdoor space across 80 acres.
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Affordable Housing

Public waterfront space to be part of massive Long Island City Innovation Center project

Image: TF Cornerstone

September 12, 2018

Public waterfront space to be part of massive Long Island City Innovation Center project