Dear El Barrio Unite Supporters,
Our sponsor, N.E.R.V.E., Inc. (founded 1975) submitted an affordable housing proposal to HPD to develop 711 low rent apartments at the city site – 112th Street to 111th, from Madison Ave to Park Avenue. It was a sustainable energy producing stand alone development utilizing new technology to keep operating cost low forever to keep rents low forever. The financing was to come from available NYC HPD and NYS subsidies with US Federal Low Income Tax Credit funds that would guarantee the construction and operational and maintenance cost for this proposal. N.E.R.V.E., Inc. co-sponsored and co- developed the 136 unit building right across the street from this Madison Avenue site- “Los Tres Unidos” back in 1981. This is remarkable not for profit development that was developed for the community by the community.
However; and surprisingly, the City recently opted instead to select a downtown developer to do this job, offering less affordable apartments and less commitment to the East Harlem community. Why? These are the same developers who were awarded the 108th Street and Park Avenue site known as “Lexington Gardens II” with no apts available to households earning less than $30,000 until we testified at the City Planning Commission hearing and demanded real affordable units for our low income families and friends. Consequently HPD was forced to change that project financing to accommodate the demands of our East Harlem supporters. So don’t expect anything from these downtown developers because they are only interested in their profit, leaving us behind…
Read the article highlighting the City’s housing development decisions that are affecting our communities and our local community development not for profit sponsors and developers:
and let us know how you feel about this. If we can’t depend on each other, then who else can we depend on? Look around- you tell me.
