June 18, 2024 — NYC Secures Housing Victory in Court—Paving the way for New Affordable Homes in Little Italy

Today, the New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of affordable housing and HPD regarding Haven Green, a crucial project which will bring over a hundred deeply affordable to Manhattan’s Little Italy. This project is a model for integrating new affordable housing with truly public open space, and will provide new opportunities for seniors to live affordably in one of New York City’s most exclusive neighborhoods.

“Today's decision by New York's highest court not only confirms that the city appropriately conducted the environmental review process for Haven Green, but allows us to move another step forward with the construction and delivery of more affordable housing in our city. Haven Green will deliver 100 percent deeply-affordable senior housing in a neighborhood with few affordable options, while also delivering 14,000 square feet of public space, nearly doubling the space currently accessible to this community. It is particularly fitting that the court's decision comes during Pride Month, as Haven Green will couple senior housing with integral supportive services tailored to both an aging and LGBTQ+ population. Through supporting projects like Haven Green, implementing new state tools we fought to attain, financing record numbers of affordable housing, and advancing our ‘City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ proposal, the Adams administration is working tirelessly to create the housing we need to remain a diverse, inclusive city where every New Yorker can live and thrive.”

“A victory for affordable housing is victory for New York City,” said Commissioner for Housing Preservation and Development Adolfo Carrion Jr. “We’re pleased to announce that the court’s decision today allows us to proceed with the Haven Green project, creating new affordable housing in New York City along side a new, vibrant public space that will be open 365 days a year and include a vegetable garden and public art displays. We appreciate the continued efforts of the entire Haven Green team and NYC Housing Preservation and Development to finally see this project serve the community.”

Commissioner Carrion continued, “Today’s decision is a victory for our city’s future, proving that sustainable development can coexist with the creation of meaningful, high-quality public green spaces. We remain dedicated to fostering inclusive, vibrant communities across all neighborhoods of New York City."

What does the City have planned for the Elizabeth Street lot? 

The City is partnering with community based organizations and housing nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity, to create new open space including green space to be designed with input from the community, and new housing. The plan for this lot includes: 

• ~123 affordable homes for seniors, including about 50 homes for seniors who are currently homeless.
• Apartments are all studios and will home to 1-2 people.
  • 50 apartments will be for formerly homeless seniors with rental assistance to anyone with incomes between $0 and 60% Area Median Income (AMI).
  • 26 apartments for households with incomes under 60% AMI
  • 25 apartments for households with incomes under 40% AMI
  • 22 apartments for households with incomes 30% AMI
• Over 15,000 square feet of public, open public space, designed through a community-informed process to best serve the neighborhood. It will include a vegetable garden, public art and other community driven amenities.

Can we hear more about the new green, open space planned?

The design of the new space was part of a public design process so that it won’t just be great, it will be great for the neighborhood.

• The new open space will include dedicated space for gardening and public art displays.
• The public will have access to this space 365 days a year.
• To provide even more open space, HPD and the Haven Green developers collaborated with the owner of the neighboring affordable housing development Little Italy Restoration Apartments (LIRA) to combine a portion of LIRA’s courtyard with the new Elizabeth Street Green greenspace, bringing the total public open space to over 15,000 square feet. 

Why is the City building housing on Elizabeth Street? Can’t they build elsewhere?

The City is facing a dire housing crisis, with record high homelessness and a record low vacancy rate. Seniors in the historic Special Little Italy District have been badly hurt by the affordable housing crisis. We’ve long argued that the choice can’t be gardens or seniors – we must serve the needs of both, which is why this project includes both housing and open space.

Simply put, we need more housing and we need it in every neighborhood.  This development will create approximately 123 units of deeply affordable housing for seniors with a 40% set-aside for formerly homeless seniors.  

Which came first, the City’s plan or the garden? Who owns the site now?

The City made a commitment to dedicate this City-owned site for affordable housing long before Elizabeth Street Garden was opened to the public. It became open to visitors only after plans were announced to build affordable housing on the site.

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and diverse, thriving neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan and development programs for new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of the existing housing stock, enforcement of housing quality standards, and educational programs for tenants and building owners. For full details visit www.nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.