Affordable Housing Coming to South Bronx, HPD Seeks Community Input on Stebbins Ave Site
May 17, 2023
HPD kicks-off community engagement for affordable housing and neighborhood amenities at Stebbins Ave; first workshop on June 15th
NEW YORK, NY – The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is seeking community input on the development of new affordable housing and neighborhood amenities at Stebbins Ave in the South Bronx.
There are many ways for New Yorkers to get involved to share their vision for housing, services, and community amenities for the site. The first workshop is scheduled for June 15th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm at Community School 134 George F Bristow (one block away from the site). New Yorkers with connections to the site are also encouraged to fill out the Project Questionnaire and contribute the Public Comments Map.
“Our projects are stronger when we work in partnership with the community. I encourage New Yorkers to share their vision for affordable housing and amenities on the Stebbins Ave site, so we can deliver the best outcome for the South Bronx,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr.
The Stebbins Avenue Site is a 23,015 square-foot vacant City-owned site located on Stebbins Avenue between East 170th Street and Jennings Street. It is neighbored by single-family homes and low-rise multi-family apartment buildings with two commercial corridors nearby: Southern Boulevard to the East and Boston Road to the West. These corridors have grocery stores, churches, and daycare centers, as well as the Bronx Music Heritage Center Laboratory and the New Horizons Plaza Mall. The closest public school is Community School George F. Bristow, an elementary school one block away.
The Stebbins Avenue Site is close to the Freeman Street and East 174 Street subway stations, with service to the 2 and 5 lines. Bus lines Bx11, Bx17, and Bx21 are also within a short walking distance of the site.
Bronx Community District 3, and particularly the Crotona Park East neighborhood, experienced devastating fires in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in blocks of vacant buildings and lots. During the 1970s, Community District 3’s population dropped from 150,636 to 53,635, and the Charlotte Street area became the national symbol of urban blight.
Decades later, thanks to the partnership between grassroots groups and city government, this neighborhood has become a symbol of successful urban rebuilding. In 2020, the population of Bronx Community District 3 was back up to 93,755, with many of the new households living in affordable housing developed through a variety of HPD programs, both homeownership and rental opportunities. Since 2014, HPD has financed more than 3,700 new affordable homes in Bronx Community District 3, one of highest production numbers for a community district in New York City.
The Stebbins Avenue site is one of this district's last available developable city owned sites, a valuable opportunity to build a project from the ground up in partnership with the community.
The development of City-owned land for affordable housing is initiated through a competitive process that asks developers to respond to a set of goals and guidelines for the site and community priorities. The community engagement process will culminate with an official report that summarizes the community’s input. The Community Visioning Report will be attached to the Request for Proposals and development teams are strongly encouraged to respond to the report. HPD will evaluate how well development teams incorporate the community vision as part of the selection process.
“In the midst of the worst housing crisis our city has ever experienced, the need to build affordable housing has never been greater,” stated Council Member Rafael Salamanca, 17th Council District, The Bronx. “In Stebbins Avenue, we have the opportunity to build housing for local residents utilizing feedback directly from the community. With the ‘Community Visioning Report,’ we are doing just that. I applaud HPD for hosting these community forums and look forward to working with local and city stakeholders in shaping this project to reflect the community’s needs.”
To learn more about the planning process for Stebbins Ave and sign up for updates, please visit nyc.gov/stebbins-rfp.
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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods - because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love. We maintain building and resident safety and health, create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability, and engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity. HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. To learn more about what we do, visit nyc.gov/hpd and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.