The ribbon cutting for 2050 Grand Concourse. Image Credit: New York Homes and Community Renewal.
On November 3, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completion of a new all-electric affordable and supportive housing development in the Fordham Heights neighborhood of the Bronx. The housing development, named the 2050 Grand Concourse, was awarded funding from the State’s Buildings of Excellence Competition. The aim of the Competition was to advance zero-carbon multifamily buildings in the State.
The 2050 Grand Concourse Development was awarded $750,000 through the aforementioned State Competition. The money aided the development in creating an energy efficient development with high performance exterior insulation, solar panels, Energy Star windows, lighting, appliances, high-efficiency HVAC systems, low-flow plumbing, sustainable building products, construction waste management systems, and more. The developers for 2050 Grand Concourse are Unique People Services and Robert Sanborn Development.
The new building has 96 affordable apartments and a 10,000 square food community facility. This facility will house Unique People Services, Inc., a Bronx-based nonprofit that provides social services for residents and the community at large. Out of the total 96 apartments in the Development, 58 will be reserved for adults who need on-site supportive services. These services will include care coordination, vocational training, transportation, food and nutrition education, health promotion and education, home-making assistance, and counseling. The remaining apartments will be made affordable to households earning at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income with residential amenities including a kitsch, laundry space, storage rooms, and two terraces.
The project cost $61.4 million and was financed through $7.4 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, $21.3 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and $21.2 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Rental subsidies and services for 28 supportive units will be funded through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and 30 are funded through an HIV/AIDS Services Administration award. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disabled Assistance provided $5.5 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.
Governor Hochul said, “With this new housing development in the Bronx, we’re helping more New Yorkers access the high quality, supportive, and affordable housing they deserve. These 96 homes will not only transform lives and set residents on a path to stability and success, but thanks to the development’s energy efficient design, we’re also building a stronger, healthier, and greener community for all.”
Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “This highly sustainable and affordable housing development will be transformative for nearly 100 households and the entire Fordham Heights community. Through Governor Hochul’s aggressive climate action agenda, and with support from programs like the Buildings of Excellence Competition, we are building climate-friendly homes in places like the Bronx that have been disproportionately impacted by climate change. 2050 Grand Concourse will undoubtedly improve lives and move us closer to our goal of achieving a greener New York for the future.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “With housing insecurity on the rise, the need for stable housing has only increased. I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul, the New York State Homes and Community Renewal, NYSERDA, New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Unique People’s Services, and Robert Sanborn Development for their work on this project and commitment to bringing affordable and energy efficient, safe housing to our borough.”
By: Meg Beauregard (Meg is the CityLaw intern, and a New York Law School student, Class of 2024).
Governor: “Governor Hochul Announces Completion of 96-Unit Affordable and Supportive Housing Development in the Bronx” (Nov. 3, 2023).