24 in 24: HPD Seeks Proposals to Transform South Bronx Lot into Affordable Housing and Community | City of New York

Housing Preservation & Development


Press Release


24 in 24: HPD Seeks Proposals to Transform South Bronx Lot into Affordable Housing and Community Space, Continues Push to Advance Projects on Public Land

February 5, 2024

Announced in Mayor Adams’ State of the City Address, Stebbins Ave Is Part of the“24 in 24” Effort to Create and Preserve Affordable Housing on Public Sites Across the City

HPD Is Seeking Bold Ideas to Bring New Affordable Housing and Neighborhood Resources to a Key Section of the South Bronx Along Stebbins Avenue in Crotona Park East

Locals Call for Low-Income Housing Along With a Childcare Center, Community and Cultural Space, or Job Training Facility on the Ground Floor

Following community engagement, HPD is now inviting proposals to redevelop vacant land along 1388-1400 Stebbins Avenue in The Bronx into new affordable housing and community space. (Credit: NYC Housing Preservation and Development)

NEW YORK – The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is calling on teams of developers, property managers, and service providers to propose their brightest ideas to redevelop a vacant lot in the Crotona Park East neighborhood of the South Bronx into affordable housing and community amenities. Now open to submissions on the HPD website, the city’s housing agency plans to select the best proposal to transform a large vacant lot at 1388-1400 Stebbins Avenue later this year through an official Request for Proposals (RFP). Interested applicants have until May 3rd to assemble a team and submit their plans.

Today’s announcement comes as HPD continues a month-long push to advance affordable housing projects on publicly owned land across the city, putting into motion New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ 24 in 24 plan. Last week, HPD kicked off their plans by launching the community engagement process to build approximately 570 homes on city-owned land along the Harlem River waterfront in Inwood, Manhattan. HPD continued this push by announced the chosen team to build approximately 116 homes for low-income families in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Through the 24 in 24 plan, the Adams administration aims to set in motion the creation or preservation of over 12,000 units of housing through partnerships across HPD, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).

“We are excited to welcome responses for a new affordable housing development in Crotona Park East,” said Deputy Mayor of Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “As part of the ‘24 in 24’ commitment to advance creation and preservation of over 12,000 affordable housing units throughout New York City, 1388-1400 Stebbins Ave will bring much needed affordable housing to the Bronx.”

“NYC neighborhoods are built stronger and more resilient when the community is engaged in the planning process,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “Here at a City-owned site in Crotona Park East, we’re putting the community’s needs front and center for development teams to review as part of their proposals to build affordable housing and space that will enrich this community. If you’re submitting a plan for this site, please consult the community visioning report we produced in partnership with the host community and may the best proposal win.”

Along Stebbins Avenue between East 170th Street and Jennings Street sits a 23,000-square-foot vacant lot. Owned by the city, the site is part of the Crotona Park East neighborhood in the Bronx’s Community District 3. It is surrounded by a mix of low- and medium-density residential buildings, community facilities, commercial uses and Crotona Park. The site is near the 2 and 5 train lines at Freeman Street Station, providing access to both Manhattan and Brooklyn and near the Boston Road and Prospect Avenue commercial strips, and adjacent to the well-known Charlotte Gardens homes complex.

Residents participate in community visioning workshop and give input reflected in the Community Visioning Report for developer reference. (Credit: NYC Housing Preservation and Development)

The competitive process to select new plans for the site follows months of community engagement in the South Bronx led by HPD’s Office of Neighborhood Strategies. Through a public workshop, community board meetings, tabling events, and a public questionnaire, HPD staff produced the Stebbins Avenue Community Visioning Report summarizing the community’s input. The report is attached to the Stebbins Avenue Request for Proposals (RFP) and development teams are strongly encouraged to consult the report in preparing their submissions. RFP submissions will be evaluated based on the quality and feasibility of the proposals in addition to how well they respond to the community vision.

Nearly 200 members of the public responded to the questionnaire, answering questions about housing in the area, what type of housing should be included at the new site, and potential ground floor usage for broader community needs. While participants shared many different visions for the site, certain themes emerged as priorities.

Respondents identified high housing costs as the leading issue in the area and felt that young adults face the most barriers in finding housing. They expressed great interest in deeply affordable housing, with young adults, households with children, and homeless families and individuals emerging as the top three groups identified as struggling the most to find and keep housing.

Three out of four respondents said they would prefer to see community amenities over residential uses on the ground floor, particularly a space that promotes growth for both young and older community members. “Too often housing is used for people to have a place to live which is important,” one respondent wrote, “but community [space] makes people stay more connected.”

Many commented on the need for programming and space for neighbors to gather, with a clear preference for a childcare/daycare center, a community and cultural space, or workforce/job training center at the top of the list:

“A workforce development center would be beneficial to the individuals of the community currently experiencing homelessness,” wrote one respondent.

“Unfortunately, this community doesn’t have much to offer our children or senior citizens, so with this building going up, our community could bring a lot of change for the better,” said another respondent.

“We have a large, beautiful park in the area but other than the occasional basketball or tennis tournament, there isn’t enough cultural or extracurricular entertainment for folks to enjoy,” said another respondent. “Maybe with having a service oriented non-profit or some other group in the area, more things like this can be organized and executed.”

After a proposal is selected, HPD and the development team will continue to provide regular updates to Bronx Community Board 3 as the selected plan makes its way through the city’s public approvals process. Once the plan receives final approval through the New York City Council, it will move forward to financing and construction. Near the end of construction, many of the new homes will be available to income qualifying households through the city’s Housing Connect lotteries portal in addition to those set aside for households exiting the city’s shelter system. New Yorkers may continue to stay up to date and engaged with the process by following the progress of the site on the HPD website and on social media @NYCHousing across platforms.

“With the ever-growing need for affordable housing in our City growing at a rapid pace, I am happy to hear about HPD’s continued designs on redeveloping a vacant lot in the Crotona Park East neighborhood in my District,” said New York City Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. “Bringing in truly affordable housing and community spaces to the South Bronx will help push a drive for economic stimulation and investment into our community that has historically been overlooked.”

“Bronx Community Board Three would like to extend its sincere gratitude to HPD for providing the residents and stakeholders of the community district with a valuable opportunity to discuss and consider their vision for the community,” said Bronx Community Board Three District Manager Etta Ritter. “The Community Board is optimistic that their valuable input will be taken into consideration and that the Stebbins Avenue development will complement the existing housing stock in this community district.”

The deadline for submissions to the RFP is May 3rd. For more information on the 1388-1400 Stebbins Avenue RFP, visit the HPD website.

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods - because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love. We maintain building and resident safety and health, create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability, and engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity. HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. To learn more about what we do, visit nyc.gov/hpd and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.