Affordable Housing

A proposed mega-project from Continuum Companies and Lincoln Equities on a large, partially-vacant site at 960 Franklin Avenue would include 1,578 apartments that would be divided evenly between market-rate and affordable units, Curbed reports. The developers are seeking zoning amendments from the city for a pair of 39-story towers, each 421 feet high plus 40 feet for a mechanical bulkhead, on a 120,000-square-foot site near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Crown Heights.
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Rendering of the new development at 705 10th Avenue. Image credit: CetraRuddy

February 14, 2019

City will build over 250 affordable homes on vacant land in Hell’s Kitchen

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced Wednesday that it will build approximately 260 units of affordable housing on two vacant city-owned sites in the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen section of Midtown Manhattan, one at 806 9th Avenue and another located at 705 10th Avenue. According to a press release, HPD has selected two development teams who will partner with nonprofits to bring an array of services to the surrounding community.
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Affordable Housing

Extell’s affordable Yorkville building opens lottery for 28 units, starting at $1,018/month

Rendering via Curtis + Ginsberg

February 13, 2019

Extell’s affordable Yorkville building opens lottery for 28 units, starting at $1,018/month

At the corner of Second Avenue and 92nd Street, just a few short blocks from the Second Avenue Subway, Extell Development has completed their first all-affordable housing project. Located at 1768 Second Avenue and designed by Curtis + Ginsberg, the development is comprised of two separate buildings, one 11 stories and the other six stories, for a combined 28 units of below-market-rate housing. These units are reserved for households earning 70 or 80 percent of the area median income, ranging from $1,018/month studios to $1,740/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Newark mayor points to flaws in NYC program that pays homeless people to leave for cheaper cities

Photo via Wikimedia

February 7, 2019

Newark mayor points to flaws in NYC program that pays homeless people to leave for cheaper cities

In a statement this week, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka asked that New York City’s Special One-Time Assistance (SOTA) Program providing homeless shelter residents with free rent for a year if they are willing to leave NYC be re-evaluated due to "serious defects." A recent investigation by WNYC confirmed that some families ended up in "illegal and uninhabitable" apartments in Newark. As CBS New York reports, Baraka cited the fact that participants were coming to Newark under the program–which pays landlords a year's worth of rent upfront–and ending up in the aforementioned conditions, then being abandoned to become homeless again when the year was up.
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In East Flatbush, a new middle-income housing lottery is throwing in ‘free rent’

Photo via CityRealty

February 5, 2019

In East Flatbush, a new middle-income housing lottery is throwing in ‘free rent’

The next culprit in a long list of the city's non-affordable "affordable" housing lotteries is an opportunity for "middle-income" New Yorkers to apply for 28 units at East Flatbush's new rental Ensemble. It's available to New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the median income, which begs the question: Is a single person earning $95,000 a year really in need of subsidized housing? But the most questionable part of this lottery is that it's offering "six months free rent on the last six months of one and two-year leases." Rental concessions like this are typically reserved for market-rate buildings that are having trouble leasing or need to attract tenants in a slow market. But since these affordable rents are minimally lower than the market-rate, maybe it's operating as such.
Is $2,600/month affordable?

Affordable Housing

February 5, 2019

City sees an unprecedented 37 percent drop in evictions

The mayor's office announced this week that New York City's residential evictions by marshals had declined by 37 percent since 2013, with approximately 18,000 evictions in 2018 compared to almost 29,000 evictions in 2013. In Manhattan, evictions are down 47 percent since 2013. What that means: Since 2013, more than 100,000 New Yorkers who might otherwise have faced evictions have been able to stay in their homes. And evictions decreased 14 percent in 2018 alone. Maps from the New York City Council show data on where the most evictions happen and allow you to search for a specific address in any borough to find out more.
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First housing lottery opens at the Bronx’s $600M affordable redevelopment of the Lambert Houses

A rendering of 988 East 180th Street, courtesy of the office of Ritchie Torres

February 4, 2019

First housing lottery opens at the Bronx’s $600M affordable redevelopment of the Lambert Houses

It's been over two years since work got underway to demolish 14 building at the Bronx's 1970s-era Lambert Houses and replace them with taller towers that will hold 1,665 affordable apartments. In addition to doubling the site's number of affordable units, the $600 million project will have a public school and three times the amount of retail space. Though the entire overhaul won't be complete for another 11-12 years, applications are now being accepted for the first new residential building (h/t Welcome2TheBronx). The 49 below-market-rate residences are reserved for those earning 60 or 100 percent of the area median income and range from $761/month studios to $1,600/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

City calls on architects to design innovative affordable housing on super small lots

The city hopes to develop affordable housing on this lot at 829 Freeman Street in the Bronx; via Google Street View

February 4, 2019

City calls on architects to design innovative affordable housing on super small lots

The city is calling on architects to help design innovative affordable housing on irregularly-shaped lots, the New York Times reported Monday. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development will launch a design competition, along with the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, seeking ideas for housing on 23 unusually small or narrow lots across the city. The program, called Big Ideas for Small Lots NYC, was first announced by the city last year and falls under Mayor Bill de Blasio's ambitious Housing New York 2.0 plan.
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Federal government increases oversight of NYCHA

Via Wikimedia

January 31, 2019

Federal government increases oversight of NYCHA

President Donald Trump's administration announced on Thursday it will seize some control over the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), calling for an independent federal monitor to oversee the troubled agency. According to the New York Times, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), NYCHA, and the city reached a deal that includes an investment of $2.2 billion over 10 years by the city in NYCHA, but does not place the agency under receivership. The monitor will be responsible for oversight of the agency's 176,000 apartments, part of the largest public housing authority in the country.
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Apply for 174 mixed-income units in the Parkchester area of the Bronx, from just $462/month

Last week, it was announced that the Parkchester section of the Bronx, served only by the 6 train, would be receiving a new Metro-North station, connecting it to Penn Station. And for those New Yorkers who qualify for the city's newest affordable housing lottery--earning 40, 60, or 100 percent of the area median income--there's a chance to get into the neighborhood on the heels of this news. There are 174 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at the new, two-building development Westchester Mews, and they range from $462/month studios to $1,888/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

23 chances to live in Brooklyn Heights’ new luxury rental, starting at $596/month

Rendering courtesy of The Pierrepont

January 24, 2019

23 chances to live in Brooklyn Heights’ new luxury rental, starting at $596/month

When it comes to the city's affordable housing lotteries, many of the same neighborhoods seem to pop up over and over again, so it's always refreshing to see a new area come online, like this opportunity for 23 units in Brooklyn Heights. Available to New Yorkers earning 40, 60, or 130 percent of the area median income, the apartments are located at The Pierrepont, a recently completed luxury rental designed by local favorite Marvel Architects. The affordable units range from $596/month studios to $2,993/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Thousands of NYCHA residents had no heat or hot water on dangerously cold day

Over 2,800 residents at the Bushwick Houses in Brooklyn lost heat and/or hot water on Monday; via Flickr

January 22, 2019

Thousands of NYCHA residents had no heat or hot water on dangerously cold day

In what has become an all-too-familiar story, thousands of public housing residents in New York City were without heat and hot water on Monday, when temperatures dropped to single digits. On the coldest day of the year, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) reported nearly 12,000 residents were experiencing heat and hot-water outages. A similar service disruption occurred roughly one year ago; during two weeks of brutal cold and a major snowstorm, the city had received 22,000 heat and hot water complaints, with a majority of those from NYCHA developments.
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NYC will lose $500M monthly if government shutdown continues

Via Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr

January 18, 2019

NYC will lose $500M monthly if government shutdown continues

If the federal government shutdown continues into March, the city will lose $500 million monthly, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned Thursday. Without funding for federally funded government programs, more than two million New Yorkers could lose access to vital benefits, including food stamps, Section 8 vouchers, and public school lunch. The shutdown, now the longest in history, began last month after Congress failed to reach an appropriations deal and as President Donald Trump refuses to withdraw his request for a $5.6 billion border wall.
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Rendering of 126th Street facing north; image courtesy of NYCEDC

January 18, 2019

City’s plans for Willets Point include a soccer stadium and affordable housing

City officials have released long-awaited plans to develop the blighted Willets Point section of Corona, Queens. As 6sqft previously reported, the economic development site within the industrial neighborhood east of Citi Field known as the Iron Triangle was at one point slated for a cleanup of its toxic soil and the creation of affordable and senior housing that would replace a jumble of auto shops and industrial businesses. Finally surfacing almost four months after a task force submitted suggestions to the Econonmic Development Corp. (EDC), the plans contain two development scenarios including a soccer stadium and mixed-use scenario that includes residential development, retail and a school.
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NYC added a record-breaking 34,160 affordable homes in 2018

Via CC

January 16, 2019

NYC added a record-breaking 34,160 affordable homes in 2018

The city created and preserved 34,160 affordable homes in 2018 alone, 40 percent more than the record set last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday. And, according to the mayor, 10,099 new homes were financed last year, another record for new construction in the city. The additional homes fall under de Blasio's Housing New York 2.0, which aims to create and preserve 300,000 affordable homes by 2026. To date, the housing plan has helped finance nearly 122,000 affordable apartments since 2014.
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Affordable housing wait list opens at the iconic Manhattan Plaza Mitchell-Lama apartments

Manhattan Plaza (photo via LIHC Investment Group)

January 14, 2019

Affordable housing wait list opens at the iconic Manhattan Plaza Mitchell-Lama apartments

A lottery to snag a waiting list spot for Mitchell-Lama rental apartments in Manhattan Plaza at 400 West 43rd Street–where, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Alicia Keys was born and Samuel L. Jackson was the first security guard–has just opened (h/t CityRealty). Senior citizens and residents of all ages in Community Board 4 are eligible to apply for studio to one-bedroom apartments. Rents aren't listed, but you can expect a significant discount from the neighborhood median of $3,000/month for studios and $3,600/month for one-bedrooms. There are four lists (community studio list, community studio elderly list, community one-bedroom list, community elderly one-bedroom list) with 500 spots available on each. The deadline to apply for all is January 31, 2019.
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Affordable Housing

Odds of winning an affordable housing lottery in NYC are better than you think

Via public domain

January 11, 2019

Odds of winning an affordable housing lottery in NYC are better than you think

While applying for affordable housing lotteries in a city with millions of applicants seems daunting, paying below-market rent in New York City is enough of an incentive to persevere through the process. Especially since it's not totally unattainable. The New York Times reported on Friday that in 2018, the odds of winning an affordable apartment through a lottery were 1 in 592. Those are actually better chances for those applying now rather than for applicants in 2016 when the odds were about 1,000 to 1.
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Affordable Housing

Lottery launches for 52 affordable units at a beachfront rental in Coney Island, from $759/month

Rendering via Concern for Independent Living

January 9, 2019

Lottery launches for 52 affordable units at a beachfront rental in Coney Island, from $759/month

An affordable housing lottery launched on Wednesday at a mixed-use development located in Coney Island one block from both the beach and the recently-landmarked Riegelmann Boardwalk. The nine-story development at 3003 West 21st Street, dubbed Surf Vets Place, offers residents a 24-hour attended lobby, sun terrace, a fitness center, computer lounge, and party rooms. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 50 and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from a $759/month one bedroom to a $1,289/month three-bedroom.
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Affordable Housing

SNL comic Michael Che plans benefit comedy show to raise funds for NYCHA residents

Photo via Pexels

January 8, 2019

SNL comic Michael Che plans benefit comedy show to raise funds for NYCHA residents

By Alexandra Alexa

Stand-up comic and SNL’s Weekend Update co-anchor Michael Che is organizing a benefit show for New York City public housing residents this week. There are still a few tickets left for "A Night for NYCHA" on January 11, as amNY reported earlier today. Che is the headliner, “Roastmaster General” Jeff Ross will be hosting, and Michelle Wolf will feature in a “top secret lineup” of comics. “It's gonna be a fun show and a GREAT cause," Che posted on his Instagram stories earlier this month. "A lot of residents don't have heat this winter. This money could really help. I grew up in a building like that, and it's really tough."
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January 3, 2019

Snag an affordable apartment in the South Bronx, from $590/month

A housing lottery launched this week for 32 affordable apartments in the Morrisania neighborhood of the South Bronx. The new building located on the corner of Third Avenue at 545 East 166th Street sits on the same block as the recently-expanded Estella Diggs Park, which has greenery, pathways, and new play equipment. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $590/studio to a $1,643/month two-bedroom.
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Affordable Housing

Greenpoint’s new ‘community-forward rental’ launches lottery for 60 affordable units

Image via Otto Greenpoint

January 2, 2019

Greenpoint’s new ‘community-forward rental’ launches lottery for 60 affordable units

Ranging from $1,045/month studios to $2,795/month three-bedrooms, 60 low- and middle-income units at Greenpoint's new rental Otto have come online through the city's affordable housing lottery. The block-long, 197-unit building boasts that it is "community-forward," with amenities like a lounge, old-school game room, gym, and a large rooftop with a pool, hot tub, barbecues, and incredible Manhattan views. For comparison, market-rate apartments are renting from $2,279/month for studios to $4,704/month for three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Get a one-bedroom right near Washington Heights’ historic sites for $1,900/month

Morris Jumel Mansion via Wiki Commons

December 21, 2018

Get a one-bedroom right near Washington Heights’ historic sites for $1,900/month

Washington Heights has been in the news lately for its surge in millennial residents and upcoming food hall, but another draw to the neighborhood is its wealth of historic sites like the Morris-Jumel Mansion (Manhattan's oldest house!) and Sylvan Terrace (a hidden cobblestone street lined with 19th-century wooden row houses). And the latest affordable housing lottery to come online is just a few short blocks from these local landmarks. Located at 1980 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 158th and 159th Streets, this new 14-unit rental has five $1,900/month one-bedrooms available to households earning between $65,143 and $108,550 annually.
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Affordable Housing

Apply for 14 middle-income apartments on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, from $2,081/month

Photo via Flickr cc

December 19, 2018

Apply for 14 middle-income apartments on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, from $2,081/month

With the L train shutdown looming, some of the best rental finds are those in parts of Williamsburg that have easy access to another train. Like this new 45-unit building at 46 Cook Street that's just two blocks from the M and J trains at Flushing Avenue but still a quick walk to cool 'spots like Roberta's, Sweet Science, and the Well. Even better, 14 middle-income units at the new, 12-story rental just came online through the city's affordable housing lottery. Available to New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, they range from $2,081/month one-bedrooms to $2,888/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

NYC plans to sell $1B in NYCHA air rights to developers

Via Creative Commons

December 13, 2018

NYC plans to sell $1B in NYCHA air rights to developers