FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 02, 2023
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322
$471 Million in Capital Repairs to Be Completed for Nearly 2,000 Residents at Five Brooklyn Developments
929 apartments will receive comprehensive repairs and renovations across 14 buildings at Bedford-Stuyvesant Rehab, Ocean Hill Apartments, Saratoga Village, and Stuyvesant Gardens I and II
NYCHA and resident leaders selected Kalel Companies, Beverly Road LLC, and Dantes Partners as partner team
NEW YORK – The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) today announced that capital repairs totaling $471 million will be addressed for nearly 2,000 residents living at five Brooklyn developments through the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. Through a resident review committee process, NYCHA and resident leadership have selected a partner team consisting of Kalel Companies, Beverly Road LLC, and Dantes Partners as co-developers; Pyramid-ETC Companies as general contractor; and Faria Management as property manager. Collectively, they will design and implement a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for Bedford-Stuyvesant Rehab, Ocean Hill Apartments, Saratoga Village, and Stuyvesant Gardens I and II, which encompass 929 apartments within 14 residential buildings. Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (Restoration) – a 55-year-old nonprofit organization located in the Central Brooklyn area – will act as the community engagement partner alongside Resolutions & Strategies Group, another minority-owned firm. Kalel Companies, Dantes Partners, and Faria Management are Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MBE); Beverly Road LLC is a Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE).
The PACT partners will spend the coming months working with NYCHA and residents across the five developments to further refine the rehabilitation and property management plans and ensure alignment with resident needs and priorities. Construction will begin in early 2025, once the properties have converted to Project-Based Section 8. A non-profit social services provider will join the team to provide community programming and services to all residents.
“I am thrilled to see the resident review committee select a team of M/WBEs to deliver comprehensive renovations to Ocean Hill Apartments, Stuyvesant Gardens I and II, Saratoga Village, and Bedford-Stuyvesant Rehab,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Congratulations to the development team and the nearly 2,000 residents in Central Brooklyn who will benefit from these critical improvements.”
"For decades, these campuses have served as a source of affordable housing and stability in Central Brooklyn,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “The fact that we are partnering with minority- and women-owned firms to bring comprehensive renovations and building upgrades to these developments is truly a win-win so that we can improve conditions for residents and preserve this housing for years to come.”
“The selected PACT partners have shown their ability to plan with residents by listening to this community's unique needs and their priorities for investment,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia. “We look forward to seeing this partnership continue and the impact that it will have on nearly 2,000 NYCHA residents in Brooklyn.”
“The partner team has been positive and continues to listen to the residents,” said Bedford-Stuyvesant Rehabs Resident Association President Cassandra Harrell. "Even though some residents might be afraid, the team listens and provides answers to their questions.”
“The PACT partner team has been very transparent, cooperative, accommodating, and good to work with,” said Saratoga Village Resident Association President Conrad Cox. “Overall, this has been a great learning experience, and we are excited for this partnership.”
“The PACT program will improve the quality of life for the seniors in our development,” said Stuyvesant Gardens II Resident Association President Theodora Gladden. “150 Malcom X Blvd. and Stuyvesant Gardens II both need a lot of work, and the only way it will get done is through this partnership.”
“This latest PACT partnership will provide extensive home renovations to thousands of NYCHA residents throughout Central Brooklyn, and also represents an important step in the City’s efforts to strengthen its partnerships with M/WBE firms,” said New York City Housing Development Corporation President Eric Enderlin. “We look forward to working with the selected development team and continuing in our mission to improve the quality of New York City’s public housing.”
“To be selected after a going through a resident-led process is a complete honor,” said Kalel Companies Founding Partner Pierre Downing. “A big part of our mission at Kalel Companies is representation, and we consider it a blessing to be able to serve as a steward of the preservation and transformation of these developments over the coming years. We look forward to working in partnership with residents, Dantes Partners, Restoration, and NYCHA to execute a revitalization plan that will create an ecosystem where families are able to benefit from high-quality housing, necessary linkages to supportive services, and access to economic opportunities.”
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring long-needed building improvements to over a thousand residents in Brooklyn,” said Beverly Road LLC Principal Amy Stokes. “It’s not just about the comprehensive construction work but also about changing people’s lives and being proud of the place one calls home.”
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with NYCHA, and even more thrilled to collaborate with Kalel Companies and Beverly Road on bringing much-needed renovations to the residents of these Brooklyn communities,” said Dumas Collective Founder & CEO Buwa Binitie. “Every opportunity to transform and improve the quality of life for residents through enhanced housing and community development is an opportunity we cherish.”
“It's a tremendous honor for Restoration to be selected by the panel of 17 resident association leaders to rehabilitate nearly 1,000 units of this vital housing cluster,” said Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation Executive Vice President for Real Estate and Economic Development Takisia Whites. “Listening to and connecting with so many residents in their neighborhoods and apartments stokes our passion to deliver dynamic social services to prepare every family to thrive and build generational wealth. It's time to bring the best building techniques and the best system of social support to every family who makes up this Central Brooklyn community.”
“The RAS Group is honored and excited to have been selected as the PACT member who will be the leading partner on a vital component of this process – resident engagement,” said Resolutions & Strategies Group President Andrew Lasalle. “We look forward to collaborating with residents and ensuring a comprehensive and productive partnership throughout this process. From the beginning, all the NYCHA resident leaders, PACT partners, and NYCHA staff have demonstrated remarkable insight, intuition, and collaboration.”
Based on resident input, the PACT partner team will prioritize safety and security upgrades, along with grounds maintenance and trash removal. Kitchens and bathrooms in all units will be fully renovated, and apartment flooring and wall finishes will be designed in collaboration with the residents of each development. Heating and hot water systems, elevators, and electrical systems will be upgraded, and common areas such as lobbies, hallways, community rooms, and open outdoor spaces will be reshaped based on resident priorities.
The PACT partner team responsible for carrying out comprehensive renovations and providing property management to these five Central Brooklyn NYCHA developments includes:
The PACT program transitions developments from traditional public housing assistance to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program — unlocking funding for designated PACT partners to complete comprehensive repairs. Overall, 138 NYCHA developments (representing over 37,000 apartments) are in pre-development, are under construction, or have completed construction through the program. The Authority is on track to include 62,000 apartments in the PACT program in order to bring the benefits of comprehensive apartment repairs and building upgrades, as well as enhanced property management and social services, to more than 142,000 residents. The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), New York City’s municipal Housing Finance Agency, is the key financing partner for PACT. In addition to providing or arranging the financing, HDC provides ongoing asset management and compliance support for PACT transactions.
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About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 528,105 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.