October 29, 2021

Increasing Housing & Economic Opportunity

Expanding HomeFirst’s Down Payment Assistance

Early this month, HPD announced the HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program will now offer up to $100,000 to support qualified first-time homebuyers purchasing a home in New York City. The expansion more than doubles the amount of financial assistance available and achieves a key goal of the City’s Where We Live NYC fair housing plan to empower low-income New Yorkers with more housing opportunities in well-resourced neighborhoods. By tackling one of the biggest barriers to homeownership for low-income families and families of color, HomeFirst strengthens the City’s efforts to work towards a more equitable and diverse NYC. Hear Chabely's story.

Connecting Affordable Housing Residents to Industry Jobs

On October 8, HPD, NYCHA, and Enterprise issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Housing Career Pathways, a new initiative aimed at connecting New Yorkers with low-incomes to careers in affordable housing. The RFP seeks a workforce provider to refine the curriculum for the initiative. Through YOUR Home NYC, HPD is on track to build or preserve 300,000 affordable homes by 2026, production that also generates thousands of jobs each year. By hiring in the community, Housing Career Pathways will help drive economic recovery in neighborhoods where we build affordable housing and implement the first cohort of the program.

Designating City Land for Affordable Housing

Bringing 40 New Homeownership Opportunities to the Bronx

As a result of the Jerome Anthony RFP, HPD and the winning development team announced plans for 40 affordable homeownership opportunities in the Southwest Bronx. Habitat NYC and Westchester, Camber Property Group and Almat Urban developers will lead the homeownership project and transfer ownership to the Interboro Community Land Trust. The transformation of Anthony Avenue site advances a key commitment of the Jerome Avenue rezoning, and this project represents the first time HPD selected a team proposing the CLT model for homeownership in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to create affordable housing on vacant, City-owned land.

More than 300 Resilient Affordable Homes to come to Staten Island

And, as a result of the Stapleton Site A RFP, on October 13th, HPD announced the winning development team will bring more than 300 affordable homes, an all-inclusive health and social program for seniors, new medical space, and counseling center to the North Shore of Staten Island. The new development also incorporates resilient design to address flood risks from potential coastal surge storms and extreme precipitation. It also connects residents to the waterfront, a key goal participants identified in the City’s community engagement sessions. Monadnock, Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corporation, and the Master Group were selected in part for how well they took community feedback into account.

Keeping New Yorkers Safe in their Homes

Taking Action to Protect Children from Lead Poisoning

Last month, HPD joined Attorney General Letitia James to announce two settlements with large property management companies over failures to protect children from lead paint hazards in New York City. For failing to comply with Local Law 1, A&E Real Estate Holdings will pay $510,000 and Chestnut Holdings will pay $300,000 to the Office of the Attorney General’s programs to protect children from lead poisoning. HPD’s inspectors were critical to identifying and auditing buildings for these investigations, and as a part of LeadFreeNYC, we will continue to pursue enforcement through HPD’s litigation division and partners like the Attorney General.

Announcing the Start of Heat Season

With colder weather settling in, HPD is reminding tenants and property owners of the legal requirements of Heat Season in New York City. From October through May, all residential building owners must maintain indoor temperatures at 68 degrees when outdoor temperatures fall below 55 degrees during the day. Indoor temperatures must also be a minimum of 62 degrees overnight regardless of outdoor temperatures. Hot water is required year-round. If landlords do not respond to complaints about lack of heat or hot water, tenants should report the issue to 311, and HPD will use all of its enforcement tools to get service restored.

Moving Forward on Transformative Projects

Breaking Ground on The Eliza in Inwood

The City and development partners celebrated the start of construction for the Eliza, a landmark project of the Inwood Neighborhood Plan. In addition to 174 deeply affordable homes, the Eliza will also bring a new state of the art public library, STEM Learning Center, universal Pre-K program, and an Activities, Culture, and Training community space. Led by non-profits Community League of the Heights and The Children’s Village, this development is the result of a public-private partnership between City agencies, New York Public Library and Robin Hood, the city’s largest poverty fighting philanthropy.

Opening 1490 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx

On September 29th, we cut the ribbon on 1490 Southern Boulevard, a 115-unit senior housing development in the Bronx. Developed by Type A Real Estate Advisers, a Women-Owned Business Enterprise, and JASA, a non-profit dedicated to serving older New Yorkers, this is the first development selected from HPD’s M/WBE Building Opportunity RFP to open its doors. 30% of the affordable homes are set aside for formerly homeless seniors, and JASA will provide all residents with on-site supportive services. The building also features abundant community space, including a garden, fitness center, and a landscaped terrace designed to improve quality of life for senior residents.

Resources for Property Owners

Emergency Rental Assistance Program

Applications are still being accepted for the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). ERAP can provide eligible low- to moderate-income households with up to 12 months of their back rent paid, 3 months of future rent if applicable, and qualified utility arrears. Individuals do not need to have a lawful immigration status to qualify, and both tenants and landlords can apply – payments will be made to the landlord, and tenants will be notified of any payment made on their behalf.

Interested tenants and landlords are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Landlords with tenants who have applied should ensure their own portion of the applications are complete. Landlords with a tenant who has declined to submit an application for ERAP, or has vacated with arrears, can apply for the Landlord Rental Assistance Program. For more information about how to apply, and to find out if you qualify, visit otda.ny.gov/erap. There are helpful documents and videos on the NYS ERAP website. There are also community-based organizations helping New Yorkers apply across the five boroughs, listed at nyc.gov/erap.

HPD-NYSERDA Electrification Retrofit

In August, HPD and NYSERDA announced a $24 Million pilot program to reduce emissions through electrification upgrades of the multifamily buildings where HPD works to preserve affordability. Property owners interested in incorporating electrification of hot water heating systems or space heating and cooking into HPD Preservation scopes may be eligible to receive grant funding to make these upgrades. Applications for the Pilot will open this fall. Learn more on HPD’s website.

Local Law 97 Guidance

HPD and DOB have released a Local Law 97 Guidance for Affordable Housing Fact Sheet (with FAQs) to help affordable housing owners determine how to comply with the law. Need help? The NYC Accelerator provides free, personalized guidance to help building owners comply with Local Law 97, save energy, save money and reduce carbon. Click here to contact Accelerator today!

BE-Ex will also be hosting an informative webinar on Wednesday Nov. 3 @ 9am: The Climate Mobilization Act Series: What About Affordable Housing? which will discuss the application of Local Law 97 to affordable housing, and how this can act as a springboard to comfortable, healthy, and low carbon buildings for underserved communities.