FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 31, 2024
CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov | (212) 306-3322

 New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust Issues First Request for Proposal to Drive Major Renovations for More than 2,200 Residents at Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn

This capital procurement is a critical step in identifying modernization and preservation partners to deliver comprehensive renovations to residents, addressing all HUD pillar areas

NEW YORK – On October 31, the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust (the Trust), in partnership with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), issued its first Request for Proposal (RFP) for major capital renovations and repairs at Nostrand Houses in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. This milestone marks a significant step in the procurement process to identify modernization and preservation partners capable of delivering comprehensive renovations that will benefit more than 2,200 residents. 

As the first NYCHA development to vote for the Trust, Nostrand Houses is also the first to release a design-build procurement solicitation, which, as part of the final scope, will address all pillar areas identified in the 2019 Agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).  Design-builders were shortlisted through a Request for Qualification (RFQ) and include Community Modernization Group (CMG); Revamp Housing Group, LLC; and Nostrand Trust Design Builders. These firms will submit proposals through the RFP process and this solicitation will be a critical component of the financial closing package for the development, which is currently projected to close in early 2026. Design-builders have until winter 2025 to respond to the RFP.  

“Nostrand Houses charted a course forward for all of NYCHA, becoming the first development to vote in favor of the Trust,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Now, thanks to the Trust, Nostrand Houses residents are on their way to unlocking critical financing for long overdue capital renovations and repairs, and are marking another critical milestone with the release of this RFP. I look forward to seeing the continued improvements at Nostrand Houses and as future developments vote on the Trust.” 

“In this administration's effort to ensure all New Yorkers have safe, quality, affordable housing, we're wasting no time to improve peoples' homes,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. “The Public Housing Preservation Trust's RFP for improvements at Nostrand Houses comes less than a year after Nostrand residents voted to join the Trust. Congratulations to tenants, NYCHA, and the Public Housing Preservation Trust for this efficient, landmark work in improving the lives of Nostrand community members.” 

“I’m excited to see the first Request for Proposal for the NYCHA Preservation Trust hit the streets,” said Executive Direct for Housing Leila Bozorg. “This RFP, informed by deep engagement with residents at Nostrand Houses, represents another critical step in advancing the Trust’s goal of ensuring residents get the comprehensive repairs they deserve, and that their voices are centered in the process.” 

“With a nearly $80 billion capital need, we continue to leverage every available tool to drive investment into our developments and enhance living conditions for the hundreds of thousands of residents who call NYCHA home,” said NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Since the day it was signed into law, the Trust has been a significant part of this approach, and with this RFP release, we are taking a critical step toward delivering comprehensive rehabilitation to the residents of Nostrand Houses.” 

"We are excited to take this significant step towards transforming Nostrand Houses, with a shortlist that represents the very best in the industry,” said President of the New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust Vlada Kenniff. “This ensures that the community will receive top-quality renovations. More importantly, this project is about investing in the quality of life for over 2,200 residents, delivering the improvements they deserve."  

The Trust, signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in June 2022, is a fully public entity that is expected to unlock billions of dollars in federal funding for comprehensive renovations at NYCHA developments to improve living conditions for residents. Under the Trust, a development is kept 100 percent public and converted to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program, while residents maintain their rights, including permanently affordable rent. 

As dictated by the legislation, a property can only be moved to the Trust following a valid and binding vote from residents of that development. Residents help drive the priorities for the renovation project, including the procurement, design, and construction process, and ultimately will help oversee the quality of the work completed. Under the Trust model, NYCHA continues to manage the property, but the Trust oversees NYCHA’s operations and ensures accountability for meeting industry standards, with an emphasis on an improved resident experience at the property. At Nostrand Houses, a robust resident partnership process began immediately after voting concluded in December 2023 to identify resident needs and collect input around key factors such as design, resident priorities, temporary relocations, and continued communication during renovation.  

This RFP is a significant milestone in this process, as the Trust prepares to transition Nostrand Houses from Section 9 to the Section 8 program, thereby doubling its current federal subsidy. The $400 million design-build contract is one piece of a final package that will lay the groundwork to address the comprehensive capital needs of the development, including delivering full apartment kitchen and bathroom renovations, ventilation improvements, complete window replacements, abatements of hazardous materials, pest and waste management, as well as elevator improvements and upgrades to plumbing, electrical, and heating systems. 

"We're excited to kick off this big step for Nostrand Houses. This RFP is all about making sure our residents get the upgrades they need, with their voices front and center,” said Nostrand Houses Resident Association President and Trust Board Member Barbara McFadden. “It's about improving homes and lives right here in our community." 

“This RFP represents a real commitment to the residents of Nostrand Houses, ensuring they see the kinds of improvements that truly make a difference in their daily lives,” said Trust Board Member Pamela Campbell. “As someone who’s worked in these communities for nearly three decades, I’m proud to be part of a process that centers resident needs and transforms homes for long-term quality and comfort.” 

"This milestone brings Nostrand Houses residents closer to the lasting, high-quality improvements they've asked for," said Trust Board Member Karen Blondel. "It’s a step forward that honors their voices and strengthens our commitment to the communities that voted for the Trust." 

In April 2024, the Trust and NYCHA organized virtual and in-person community visioning workshops and conducted on-site surveys with residents of Nostrand Houses to gather their feedback on renovation priorities. This collaborative effort ensured that residents played a key role in helping to shape the modernization plans. The feedback collected was compiled into the Nostrand Resident Priorities Report, which, along with on-site investigations and analysis, informed the RFP issued to design and construction firms. The top three design-build firms, who have previous experience in large-scale projects of this scope, were shortlisted through the earlier RFQ process. These firms will now submit detailed proposals, including 30 percent design documents, to the Trust for consideration of the best approach for addressing the renovation needs of these developments as well as other factors, such as managing temporary relocations, resident communications, Section 3 hiring, and Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) opportunities. 

The renovation plans, considered as part of the RFP process, use a lump sum design-build framework, which establishes a single contract from firms for both design and construction, thereby apportioning a single point of responsibility and shortening the procurement process. This alternative delivery contract method was authorized by the Preservation Trust Legislation, which gave additional tools and capabilities to deliver large-scale capital investments to this new entity. The design-build framework prioritizes firms that provide the best value; other key factors of consideration include the quality of the proposed design, the impact on residents, the anticipated project duration, the successful completion of similar projects, as well as overall team experience. 

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About the NYC Public Housing Preservation Trust: 

The New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust (Trust) is dedicated to safeguarding public housing as a sustainable foundation for community and opportunity. By empowering residents and modernizing our buildings, the Trust secures a vibrant future for generations of New Yorkers. The Trust is a government agency that repairs, renovates, and modernizes public housing for residents in partnership with the New York City Housing Authority. The Trust will comprehensively renovate and improve operations of public housing through the resident-centric Modernization and Preservation (Trust Mod) Program. 

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.