December 6, 2022

The state-of-the-art Passive House development provides 80 affordable homes for low-income seniors in the Bronx

Photo Credit: Molly Stromoski (HPD)

NEW YORK CITY – On Tuesday, December 6th, 2022, RiseBoro Community Partnership, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Woodlawn Senior Living at 69 E 233rd Street, Bronx, New York. This development project, RiseBoro’s first in the borough of the Bronx, is a leading example of coordinated efforts between the City and State agencies to address the affordable housing crisis in New York City.

Financed by HPD’s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program, the project includes 79 affordable homes for seniors – all of whom were provided with HPD project-based vouchers – and 24 homes were specifically set-aside for formerly homeless senior households. There is also 1 super’s unit. RiseBoro works with HRA to provide tenant social services at the development, including home visits, escorts for medical visits, advocacy, enhanced individualized support, as well as recreational and educational programs: arts instruction, computer classes, yoga instruction, dance, English as a second language and more.

Designed by Paul Castrucci, the development also includes a gym, computer room, community space and an outdoor terrace and greenspace for resident use. The building is designed to Passive House standards, providing superior air sealing and thermal insulation that dramatically reduces heating and cooling costs. The project includes solar paneling, green infrastructure, water conservation, and energy recovery ventilation.

“With the completion of Woodlawn Senior Living, New York City and Riseboro Community Partnership is once again delivering for older New Yorkers by opening the doors to new affordable senior housing,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “Some of our most at-risk older New Yorkers, including those who were once unhoused, will now have the safety and security of housing that comes equipped with the specialized services they need to thrive. Thank you to all who made this project possible.”

“The Woodlawn Senior Housing Development will provide senior New Yorkers with state-of-the-art affordable housing as well as access to the holistic social services that will allow them to thrive in this incredible new development,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins. “We are so grateful for our partnership with HPD, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and all others who worked tirelessly to bring this project to life, and we look forward to working together in the future to make our city more equitable and affordable for all New Yorkers, especially our most vulnerable neighbors.”

"This project will provide much needed relief to our city's seniors who are at the forefront of the affordable housing crisis," said Scott Short, CEO of RiseBoro Community Partnership. "Not only will it offer the housing they so desperately need, but our programming will give them ongoing support to improve their quality of living."

“United Church of Jesus Christ is delighted to be a partner on this project”, said Bishop Granville A. Senior, Senior Pastor. “The Woodlawn Senior Living affordable housing development is a remarkable accomplishment for the Bronx community, especially at a time when the lack of sufficient housing is one of the major problems in our city. With the addition of the Woodlawn Senior Living to the inventory of affordable housing in the Bronx, RiseBoro continues to demonstrate its commitment to be a champion for the underserved population of our community, and for that and more, the institution has earned our applause.”

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
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.

About Riseboro Community Partnership
Riseboro Community Partnership is a community development nonprofit that has been operating in all five boroughs of New York City for nearly five decades. RiseBoro uses a unique and holistic model to revitalize communities, with programs in housing, senior care, education, health and empowerment. Using affordable housing development as a foundation, RiseBoro’s approach helps unleash the potential of New York’s most vulnerable populations.