Image Credit: NYC HPD

The program offers up to a $100,000 forgivable loan to cover down portions of down payments or closing costs. On October 4, 2021, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the first expansion of its “HomeFirst” Down Payment Assistance Program. The “HomeFirst” Program offers financial assistance in the form of a forgivable loan for first-time homebuyers in purchasing a home in New York City by helping cover portions of down payments or closing costs. (more…)

90-60 179th Place, one of the four impacted properties, had over 20 lead-based paint violations. Image Credit: Google Maps.

The four impacted buildings have over 200 households. On August 19, 2021, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced a settlement agreement with a building owner for the correction of lead-based paint violations across four buildings in the Bronx and Queens. The four buildings are 1585 White Plains Road and 58 East 190th Street in the Bronx, and 90-60 179th Place and 150-02 88th Avenue in Queens. The building owner, Ved Parkash, will be responsible for correcting the violations under an Order to Correct by August 29th and must pay $60,000 in civil penalties for violations under Local Law 1 of 2004.  (more…)

Rendering of future senior affordable housing development at 31-07 31st Street in Astoria. Image Credit: HPD

The development is next to a subway station and local retail and grocery stores. On January 13, 2021, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the development team for an affordable senior housing development at 31-07 31st Street in Astoria, Queens. The development will be mixed-use, with 100 percent affordable housing for seniors, a community center and commercial space. The site is currently a city-owned parking lot for the Department of Transportation.  (more…)

HPD ramps up enforcement against landlords with multiple violations. Image Credit: NYC HPD

HPD picked 250 buildings with over 41,000 violations for enhanced enforcement. In 2019, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) launched the Anti-Harassment Unit (AHU) to keep tenants safe and to hold owners and landlords accountable for leaving homes in disrepair. On March 4, 2020, HPD announced that the AHU filed actions for nearly $400,000 against two building owners in court. Each building owner operates three buildings in Manhattan and the Bronx. (more…)

Image Credit: HPD

HPD issues the Property Pathways RFEI seeking vacant, or partially vacant multifamily buildings that can be redeveloped into permanent housing for vulnerable New Yorkers. On December 19, 2019, Housing Preservation and Development announced its release of Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for its new Property Pathways initiative. The Property Pathways initiative identifies privately-owned properties throughout the city with at least ten units that can be converted into safe and secure permanent housing to be immediately occupied by formerly homeless and other vulnerable households. (more…)