Council member for the district supported projects. On May 30, 2007, the City Council approved two housing projects proposed for Harlem by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development despite residents’ criticisms over the affordable housing components.

HPD submitted a proposal by BRP Development for a 38-unit condominium project called The Savannah to be built at 2110 Frederick Douglass Boulevard. The nine-story mixed-use building would also include 5,273 sq.ft. of commercial space and 815 sq.ft. of community space. BRP proposed to reserve eight of the 38 residential units for persons with incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income.

The second project, proposed for 21 West 128th Street, would contain 26 rental units in a six-story building to be developed by the Phipps Houses Group. The affordable housing plan called for eight units to be targeted to formerly homeless families and reserved for persons earning 30 percent of the median income. Phipps would also reserve the remaining 18 units for persons earning under 60 percent of the median income. (read more…)

Manhattan, Bronx and Brooklyn housing projects approved; sent to Council. On March 28 and April 11, 2007, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development obtained Planning Commission approval for eight affordable housing projects, totaling 517 units, to be developed in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Two of the Bronx projects, including the 50-unit Fox Leggett Cooperative Apartments and the 162- unit Grant Avenue Cooperative Apartments, provide ownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families. Both of these projects also include community facility space and outdoor landscaped open space. (read more…)