First NYCHA HPD Combine Affordable Rental Units - NYCHA

NYC Housing Authority


Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 24, 2011
Contact: media@nycha.nyc.gov, (212) 306-3322

NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea and HPD Commissioner Wambua Announce First of its Kind Development in NYC to Combine Affordable Rental Units and Public Housing
City Is Seeking Proposals From Developers To Rehab and Preserve A Minimum of 155 Units of Affordable Housing and 140 Units of Public Housing in Central Harlem
New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairman John Rhea and NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua announced today the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of Randolph Houses, which are located in Central Harlem. The RFP calls for the extensive rehabilitation and preservation of 36 historic buildings resulting in approximately 140 NYCHA public housing units and a minimum of 155 affordable housing units. This is the first RFP for a Mixed-Finance development between NYCHA and HPD that results in the combining of both Public Housing and affordable residential units.
This partnership between the agencies is part of a collaboration which was announced in April 2005 in an innovative effort to identify underutilized NYCHA properties and, when suitable, work to develop them as affordable homes for low-income New Yorkers. The HPD/NYCHA collaboration has already produced more than 1,500 units with another 2,300 in construction or in the development pipeline; for a total of more than 3,800 affordable units.
The HPD/NYCHA collaboration highlights the Bloomberg Administration’s commitment to working across agencies to maximize city resources for the benefit of hardworking New Yorkers. The Randolph Houses are being developed under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan (NHMP), an $8.5 billion initiative to finance 165,000 units of affordable housing for half a million New Yorkers by the close of the 2014 fiscal year. To date, the plan has funded the creation or preservation of more than 124,400 units of affordable housing across the five boroughs; 10,300 of those units in Manhattan Community District 10 where the Randolph Houses are located.
“The partnership among NYCHA, HUD and HPD represents a milestone in the revitalization of Randolph Houses,” said NYCHA Chairman John B. Rhea. “This initiative is a first by utilizing a HUD mixed finance program combining public and non-public housing in a single development. We look forward to the successful rehabilitation of Randolph Houses as a model for future redevelopment.”
“This RFP is the next critical step in revitalizing the Randolph Houses and preserving these historic properties as affordable homes for current and future generations of New Yorkers,” said HPD Commissioner Mathew M. Wambua. “This project is indicative of our innovative partnership with NYCHA and the tenets of the Mayor’s housing plan which gives us the tools to work across agencies in a strategic manner with the goal of strengthening our neighborhoods. At the Randolph Houses we are not just breathing a new life into these buildings - we are creating new homes, new opportunities, and a more affordable and sustainable New York.”
Randolph Houses consists of 36 tenement buildings along the north and south sides of West 114th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. The development includes 22 buildings on the south side of the street and 14 on the north side. All were constructed in the 1890’s and were acquired by NYCHA in the 1970’s.
The buildings have been determined by the NYS Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) to be eligible for historic designation. Rehabilitation must preserve certain historic elements of the buildings’ exteriors. One developer or development team will be selected to redevelop both sides. The RFP submission period runs from August 22 through November 7, 2011.
The South Side of the street, with 22 tenement buildings, is currently vacant and requires extensive rehabilitation. Proposals must include140 Public Housing units, with remaining units designated as affordable to households at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), or what is equivalent to an annual household income not to exceed $49,080 for a family of four. The North Side of the street contains14 tenement buildings which are currently occupied by NYCHA tenants. These buildings will be rehabilitated after the North Side tenants have been relocated to the newly renovated Public Housing units on the South Side. The North Side will be developed as affordable rental units for a mix of incomes. At least 25 percent of the North Side units must be affordable to households at or below 60 percent AMI. The remaining seventy five percent may include units affordable to families earning up to 130 percent AMI, or what is equivalent to an annual household income of $106,340 for a family of four. The chosen development team will also be required to provide a minimum of 2,000 square feet of community space, as well as landscaped open space for use by all tenants.
For additional information and to obtain a copy of the RFP, please visit HPD's Request for Proposals/Qualifications/Offers.
The Randolph Houses are named after Philip Randolph (1889-1979). The principal organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), Randolph led efforts to end segregation in the Armed Forces and in schools. The BSCP came to be viewed as a symbol of the African-American's claim to dignity, respect and a decent livelihood.
About the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
HPD is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and viable neighborhoods for New Yorkers through education, outreach, loan and development programs and enforcement of housing quality standards. It is responsible for implementing Mayor Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan to finance the construction or preservation of 165,000 units of affordable housing by 2014. Since the plan’s inception, more than 124,400 affordable homes have been created or preserved. For more information, visit HPD website.

About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
NYCHA provides decent and affordable housing in a safe and secure living environment for low and moderate- income residents throughout the five boroughs. To fulfill this mission, NYCHA must preserve its aging housing stock through timely maintenance and modernization of its developments. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments. Simultaneously, we work to enhance the quality of life at NYCHA by offering our residents opportunities to participate in a multitude of community, educational and recreational programs, as well as job readiness and training initiatives.