November 26, 2019

Press Office: hpdmedia@hpd.nyc.gov

QUEENS, NY – Officials from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) joined Transitional Services for New York, Inc. (TSINY) and Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) to celebrate the groundbreaking of 161-01 89th Ave, a 70-unit affordable and supportive housing development in Jamaica, Queens. The new affordable housing building, operated by TSINY, will include studio apartments that will serve low income seniors and chronically homeless individuals in need of supportive services.

“This administration is making good on its promise to expand affordable housing opportunities for the most vulnerable among us, and we will keep pushing to do more. This project will deliver 70 deeply affordable new homes for low income seniors and those struggling with homelessness,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll.  “We thank our partners who share our steadfast commitment to serving New Yorkers in need, and we look forward to celebrating with the new tenants when 161-01 89th Ave is complete.

“Today, in breaking ground at the new residence, we are opening another new chapter in the history of TSINY, our second new apartment building,” said Dr. Larry S. Grubler, CEO at TSINY. “We are coming together as a community to build new homes and provide community-based services for individuals from New York City with low incomes. We are grateful for the support we have received from the Queens community and look forward to being part of the revitalization of Jamaica and our economy.”

“CPC is proud to be part of this partnership that is bringing high-quality supportive and affordable housing to the Jamaica community. When complete, this new development will provide a stable and safe environment where its residents can rediscover themselves and live with dignity. I thank Transitional Services for New York, Inc., HPD, NYS OMH, the Queens Borough President’s office, and all of our partners for their commitment to this important project,” said Lawrence Hammond, Vice President & Mortgage Officer at CPC.

The new eight-story apartment building will provide tenants with a range of programs and services designed to support recovery and develop daily living skills. These include assistance and support dealing with substance abuse, budgeting, housekeeping, cooking, building support networks, educational and vocational training, and managing personal healthcare needs. 

The project involved the demolition of a vacant existing building, Monica House, which historically operated as single room occupancy housing. When complete, 161-01 89th Avenue will include offices for onsite supportive services, an exercise room, common areas, laundry, bicycle storage, and outdoor recreation space. The building will be near local shopping, the F and E trains at Parsons Boulevard, the J and Z trains at Jamaica Center, and multiple bus lines.

This project furthers the City’s efforts to build more supportive housing through the 15/15 program, with the remaining units affordable to very-low income households. TD Bank’s Commercial Real Estate business provided a $15.6 million construction loan toward financing the development.

“Safe, affordable housing should be accessible to everyone, especially our most vulnerable, and with the addition of this new development, TD is helping ensure that all New Yorkers have a place to call home," said Gloribel Cruz, Vice President, Commercial Real Estate at TD Bank. “We are proud to be the financial institution for an organization that is working hard to improve the lives of those less fortunate in our local communities.”

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is 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. HPD is tasked with fulfilling Mayor de Blasio’s Housing New York Plan which was recently expanded and accelerated through Housing New York 2.0 to complete the initial goal of 200,000 homes two years ahead of schedule—by 2022, and achieve an additional 100,000 homes over the following four years, for a total of 300,000 homes by 2026.  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.