NHC member New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) recently celebrated the ribbon-cutting of Riverway Apartments in Brooklyn. The new complex features 115 units of affordable housing for seniors 62 and older and an onsite supportive services center for residents.
Developed under Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s New Housing Market Plan (NMHP), Riverway features 114 single-bedroom units and one two-bedroom unit reserved for an onsite building superintendent. The building is also accessible to residents with disabilities and features call buttons and handrails to meet the safety needs of older adults. NMHP is a multibillion dollar initiative created to finance 165,000 affordable housing developments by the end of 2014. The plan has so far funded the preservation or creation of over 156,769 affordable housing units across New York’s five boroughs. There have been 37,360 units in Brooklyn to date.
“I am proud that HDC could once again take a leadership role in funding a development which will serve our most vulnerable population,” said Marc Jahr, president of HDC. “This is an excellent example of how government agencies and nonprofit organizations help create new affordable and supportive housing,” he continued.
As one of the nation’s most vulnerable populations, older adults are often overlooked when it comes to finding quality housing that meets their needs. Meeting these needs has been an important part of the discourse NHC has had with policymakers and affordable housing providers who are invested in ensuring that senior housing challenges are addressed. Several of our reports have explored ways of incorporating the needs of older adult residents into affordable housing. At our Solutions 2013 Conference, we featured several sessions addressing the nation’s readiness to develop and maintain housing for older adults
In addition to Jahr’s presence at the ceremony on behalf of HDC, notable attendees and partners of the project included; NHC member SKA Marin, HUD, the Calvary Church of God, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chairman John Rhea, New York Hub Multifamily Director Teresa Bainton and NHC member New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas.