Affordable Housing

January 17, 2023

Wellness-focused housing development with 238 affordable units coming to Bed-Stuy

A wellness-focused housing development is coming to Bed-Stuy. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development last week selected the "The Steps at Saratoga" proposal from RiseBoro, IMPACCT Brooklyn, and Urbane Development. Planned for the corner of Fulton Street and Saratoga Avenue, the project consists of two new buildings with 238 affordable apartments, including 158 units for low-income families and 80 for seniors. The development will offer residents several wellness and food justice programs, including access to a food co-op, a demonstration kitchen, a greenhouse, and a center dedicated to elderly care.
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January 11, 2023

Hochul proposes new housing targets for every locality in New York

To spur housing development in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday unveiled a proposal that would require every locality in the state to meet home creation targets. During her 2023 State of the State address, the governor announced plans to build 800,000 new homes over the next decade to address the current housing crisis. The new initiative, dubbed the New York Housing Compact, requires all cities, towns, and villages to hit home creation goals on a three-year cycle.
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January 10, 2023

NYC’s plan to convert office space into housing could create 20,000 homes

In December, Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a plan to address the needs of post-pandemic New York by creating mixed-use neighborhoods in central business districts to draw more residents, businesses, and tourists. The plan advocated for the much-discussed idea of converting vacant office buildings into homes, a solution that tackles both the city's housing crisis and lagging retail growth by making zoning laws more flexible. On Monday, Adams announced a list of specific recommendations for converting underused offices into 20,000 homes for 40,000 New Yorkers over the next decade.
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January 9, 2023

Stuy Town tenants win lawsuit to keep apartments rent stabilized

More than 6,000 apartments at Manhattan's largest apartment complex will remain rent-regulated after a judge last week ruled in favor of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village tenants. State Supreme Court Justice Robert Reed determined Stuy Town landlord Blackstone Group's attempt to deregulate the apartments was unlawful, becoming the first major tenant-led effort against developers that tested the integrity of the state's 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act.
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January 6, 2023

Apply for 15 mixed-income units in Clinton Hill, from $1,036/month

Applications are now being accepted for 15 mixed-income units at a new residential development in Brooklyn. Located at 108 Downing Street in Clinton Hill, the 8-story building offers residents spacious units and a prime location in the heart of Brooklyn. New Yorkers earning 70, 80, and 120 percent of the area median income, or between $38,160 for a single person and $172,920 for a household of five people, can apply for the units, which range from $1,036/month studios to $2,883/month two bedrooms.
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December 27, 2022

NYC lost over 100,000 rent-stabilized units since 2019, according to report

Despite a 2019 state law that largely prohibits landlords from deregulating rent-regulated apartments, the number of rent-stabilized units in New York City has dropped significantly, as first reported by The City. These findings indicate that there are potentially thousands of tenants who are currently paying rent that is more than the previously regulated amounts. These tenants also lack the rights given to New Yorkers living in rent-regulated units, like guaranteed lease renewals and restricted rent hikes.
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December 27, 2022

Waitlist opens for affordable rentals at copper-clad dancing towers in Murray Hill, from $832/month

A waitlist has opened to fill affordable apartments available now and for future vacancies at an architectural standout in Murray Hill. The Copper, originally known as the American Copper Buildings, is a pair of luxury rental towers at 626 First Avenue with a three-story sky bridge connecting the two buildings. New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for a spot on the wait list for the apartments, which are priced between $832/month to $1,311/month on NYC Housing Connect.
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December 23, 2022

Lottery opens for 45 mixed-income rentals a block from Green-Wood Cemetery, from $1,473/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 45 mixed-income units at a new residential development in Brooklyn. Located at 875 4th Avenue in Greenwood, the luxury rental rises eight stories and has 150 apartments. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $53,863 for a single person and $187,330 for a household of five people, can apply for the apartments, priced from $1,473/month studios to $2,975/month two bedrooms.
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December 15, 2022

Proposal calls for transforming NYC’s commercial districts into 24/7 destinations

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced a new plan to improve New York City as a place to live and work and help prepare it for a post-pandemic world. An essential part of the plan involves the reimagination of the city's central business districts, Midtown and Lower Manhattan, by transforming them into dynamic, mixed-use neighborhoods that will draw more residents, businesses, and tourists. The plan also includes proposals to transform public space by expanding preexisting pedestrian spaces and envisioning new projects for the public realm.
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December 9, 2022

Adams unveils plan to create 500K new homes by 2032

New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday unveiled a new, three-part strategy to tackle the city's affordable housing crisis. Dubbed "Get Stuff Built," the plan aims to address the housing crisis by accelerating the creation of new housing, setting a "moonshot" goal of creating 500,000 new homes over the next decade.
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December 8, 2022

City Council approves Boerum Hill rezoning that will create 450 affordable housing units

The New York City Council on Wednesday voted to approve the rezoning of nearly an entire block in Boerum Hill that will make way for 450 new housing units, roughly 50 percent of which will be fully affordable. The rezoning includes a stretch of Nevins Street to Bond Street between Wyckoff Street and Bergen Street, the last manufacturing block in Boerum Hill.
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November 23, 2022

NYC Council approves two projects that together bring 5,000 apartments to Brooklyn and Queens

The New York City Council on Tuesday voted to approve rezonings Innovation QNS in Astoria and Innovative Urban Village in East New York, two mixed-use districts that will create more than 5,000 units of housing, with 65 percent of them designated affordable. Over 34 percent, or 1,900 of the new housing units, will be deeply affordable for extremely or very low-income households.
Details here
November 18, 2022

Two major projects that would bring 3,200+ affordable homes to Brooklyn and Queens get key approval

Two major housing developments proposed for Brooklyn and Queens are moving forward. The New York City Council Committee on Zoning and Franchises on Thursday voted to approve rezonings Innovation QNS and Innovative Urban Village, which together would create more than 5,000 units of housing, 3,200 of which would be affordable. The two developments also include over 1,600 apartments for extremely or very low-income households.
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November 17, 2022

Lottery opens for 72 affordable co-ops in Soundview, available to buy from $183K

A housing lottery opened for 72 newly-constructed co-ops available for purchase in the South Bronx. Located at 1715 Lacombe Avenue in Soundview, the apartments are available to New Yorkers earning 80, 83, and 90 percent of the area median income, or between $61,030 for a single person and $148,950 for a household of seven. The homes are priced between $183,700 for a one-bedroom and $275,000 for a three-bedroom.
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November 16, 2022

NYC’s first professional soccer stadium will open in Queens

New York City's first professional soccer stadium will be built in Queens, officials announced Wednesday. The major mixed-use development is proposed for Willets Point, across the street from Citi Field. In addition to a 25,000-seat stadium for the New York City Football Club, the 23-acre project also includes a hotel, thousands of affordable housing units, and a new public school. As first reported by the New York Times, the stadium is expected to be completed by 2027.
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November 15, 2022

Adams announces overhaul of NYC’s housing voucher program

New York City officials are fighting the city's looming housing crisis with a few major policy changes. Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced new housing reforms that will help homeless New Yorkers easily transition from the shelter system into affordable and supportive housing and give them access to housing in higher-income neighborhoods that have previously been out of reach for lower-income families.
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November 10, 2022

Apply for 77 mixed-income units in East Williamsburg, from $770/month

Applications are now being accepted for 77 mixed-income units at a new development in Brooklyn. Located at 269 Wallabout Street in East Williamsburg, the eight-story mixed-use building contains 58 modern apartments. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 115 percent of the area median income, or between $29,760 for a single person and $202,515 for a household of nine people, can apply for the apartments, priced from $770/month one-bedroom units to $3,250/month four-bedrooms.
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November 9, 2022

Along with electing Hochul, New York voters approve $4.2B in climate spending

In addition to electing Gov. Kathy Hochul, voters in New York on Tuesday approved four new ballot measures that focus on fighting climate change and improving racial equity. Nearly 70 percent of voters said yes to the landmark "Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act," which gives the state permission to borrow $4.2 billion for funding projects that will protect New Yorkers from future extreme weather due to climate change. It's the largest initiative for environmental protection in New York State history.
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November 8, 2022

NYC’s area median income increases by 16 percent, ‘wildly out of sync’ with actual income of New Yorkers

A new report highlights how the area median income (AMI) set by the federal government for New York City is "wildly out of sync" with the actual incomes earned by most New Yorkers. The New York Housing Conference (NYHC) last week released a policy brief outlining the discrepancy, citing the new AMI levels set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the area. The federal government set the new median family income at $94,500 while the city's actual household median income remains at $60,550.
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November 7, 2022

2,600 supportive housing units in NYC remain vacant despite new developments

The city has delivered on its promise to create more housing for homeless and mentally ill New Yorkers but has had trouble actually filling the units, according to a new report. Data released by the city last week obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request showed that 2,600 supportive housing units are still vacant despite New York City's urgent housing crisis and despite Mayor Eric Adams' pledge to streamline the application process for these apartments, as first reported by the New York Times.
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November 4, 2022

199 affordable apartments available at new Bed-Stuy rental, from $375/month

A housing lottery opened this week for 199 affordable units at a new housing project in Brooklyn. Located at 1921 Atlantic Avenue in Bed-Stuy, the 14-story mixed-use building has 236 total units, several community facilities, and a ground-floor grocery floor. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $16,218 for a single person and $132,400 for a household of seven people, are eligible to apply for the apartments which range from $375/month studios to $2,501/month three bedrooms.
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November 3, 2022

Jehovah’s Witnesses hotel-turned-affordable housing complex opens in Dumbo

Breaking Ground on Thursday opened 90 Sands Street, a former Jehovah's Witnesses hotel in Dumbo that has been converted into 491 affordable and supportive apartments. Renovated by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects, the 30-story building will offer onsite social services to residents provided by the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS).
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November 2, 2022

Judge halts Elizabeth Street Garden-replacing senior housing development

Long-stalled plans to build an affordable senior housing development at the Elizabeth Street Garden in Little Italy hit another roadblock this week. State Supreme Court Judge Debra James on Tuesday vacated and annulled the environmental impact statement for Haven Green, a 123-unit mixed-use rental for older New Yorkers approved by the City Council in 2019. While developers determined the building would not have a negative impact on the neighborhood's environment, the judge disagreed, ruling that "reduction in open space ratios is sufficient to indicate the presence of a significant adverse impact."
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October 28, 2022

Lottery opens for 42 affordable units in the South Bronx, from $397/month

Applications are now being accepted for 42 affordable units in the Bronx. Located at 740 Brook Avenue in Woodstock, the nine-story mixed-use building offers tenants brand-new residences and a variety of amenities. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 100 percent of the area median income, or between $16,183 for a single person and $165,500 for a household of seven, can apply for the apartments which range from $397/month studios to $2,545/month three bedrooms.
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October 27, 2022

199-unit supportive housing complex for seniors and families opens on the Upper West Side

A new supportive housing complex for low-income families and formerly homeless seniors officially opened on the Upper West Side this week. Located at 145 West 108th Street, the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing's WSFSSH at West 108 provides 199 new homes for those in need and gives a new home to the Valley Lodge Shelter, a 110-bed development for homeless older adults. The 193,000-square-foot complex includes on-site supportive services and a wide variety of amenities for residents.
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