Mayor Bill de Blasio announces comprehensive plan to renovate NYCHA apartments and preserve public housing in New York City. Image credit: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

The plan will be divided into three programs to address the $24 billion in capital need for repairs and renovations. On December 12, 2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a comprehensive plan named NYCHA 2.0 to renovate and preserve NYCHA housing, aimed to resolving $24 billion in vital repairs. NYCHA 2.0 is a ten-year plan that will deliver renovations for 175,000 residents, fund essential capital repairs across the rest of NYCHA’s portfolio, and launch new repair strategies for lead paint, mold, elevator, heat, and vermin issues.

Rendering of 43-80 Douglaston Parkway. Image Credit: NYC CPC/ Akerman LLP

Thirty-four affordable apartments for seniors will be created if the project is approved. On December 5, 2018, the City Planning Commission heard an application for the construction of two buildings off Douglaston Parkway in the Douglaston section of Queens. If approved, the buildings will be constructed at 241-15 Northern Boulevard and 43-80 Douglaston Parkway. Lisa Orrantia of Akerman LLP presented the application on behalf of 241-15 Northern LLC and North Shore Realty Group Corp.

Welcome to CityLand‘s seventh annual top ten stories of the year! We have selected a range of our most popular and prominent stories, and guest commentaries concerning New York City land use in 2018. Our 2018 coverage was highlighted by articles concerning approvals for affordable housing, proposals for rezoning developments, legislation providing the right to housing counsel, and a guide on barbecuing in the city. We at CityLand are excited to continue providing in-depth coverage of the latest land use projects, cases, and legislation in 2019 and look forward to seeing what the year will bring. Thank you for all of your support and have a happy new year!

Image credit: pxhere.com.

The report closes in on housing needs for low- and extremely low-income households and proposes four initiatives on how to provide affordable housing for these households. On November 28, 2018, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released its NYC for All: The Housing We Need report showing the scope of the City’s affordable housing crisis. According to the report, the city’s population grew nearly half a million between 2009 and 2017 and city employment increased by over 800,000 jobs. While the city has experienced population and job growth, the growth of residential units has failed to keep the pace with a net increase of only 100,000 residential units for the 500,000 people.

Image credit: Jeff Hopkins Art.

The New York City Housing Authority’s efforts to settle with the U. S. Attorney over NYCHA’s mismanagement of public housing came to an abrupt end on November 14, 2018 when U.S. District Court Judge William H. Pauley III rejected the proposed consent decree. The U.S. Attorney had charged NYCHA in a civil complaint with fraud, deception and filing false lead inspection reports. The complaint also charged NYCHA with systematically tolerating dangerous and unhealthy contamination of lead, mold and vermin, and with inadequate maintenance of essential services, including elevators, plumbing and heating.

The Doe Fund breaks ground on affordable housing development at 3188 Villa Avenue in the Bronx. Image credit: The Doe Fund.

The development will provide onsite supportive services for residents. On December 7, 2018, The Doe Fund broke ground at 3188 Villa Avenue, located in the Bedford Park/Special Grand Concourse District of the Bronx to begin construction of a 68-unit affordable and supportive housing development. The Doe Fund is partnering with Chase Community Development Banking to finance the construction, as well as the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, NYCHA, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the Human Resources Administration.