Sustainable project connects three supportive housing residences serving 84 New Yorkers
New York, NY December 1 – Jericho Project, a 38-year old nonprofit serving homeless and housing insecure New Yorkers, The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) celebrated the launch of a sustainable renovation project to create new supportive housing apartments for young LGBTQI adults in the Bronx. The project will seamlessly upgrade and connect three buildings that Jericho owns on Anthony Avenue to collectively serve 84 formerly homeless individuals.
“Homelessness among young adults is a crisis that has only deepened throughout the pandemic. With this project we will continue our work in reversing housing insecurity early in a person’s life and providing the necessary services and coaching to achieve their true potential,” said Jericho Project CEO Tori Lyon.
Funded by New York City’s Department of Housing and Preservation Development (HPD), the project is part of the NYC 15/15 Initiative to provide 15,000 units of supportive housing over 15 years. The project was supported by $9.1 million in construction financing from The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), and the expertise of Amie Gross Architects.
The renovation at 1842 Anthony Avenue – set between Jericho properties at 1840 and 1846 Anthony Avenue — will create a series of 3-bedroom apartments for 22 LGBTQI young adults. The project will also create a central point of entrance connecting the three residences replete with wheelchair accessibility, a new community space and garden serving all three, and lower levels filled with natural light.
“This administration has made unparalleled investments in life-changing affordable housing that serves some of our most vulnerable neighbors,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “We are grateful to Jericho Project and CPC for sharing our commitment to formerly homeless New Yorkers, and taking on this renovation to create new affordable homes while also improving access to services and facilities for existing residents.”
“Homelessness is one of the most urgent issues facing our city today, and an affordable, supportive place to call home can be one of the most effective pathways to help bring stability and opportunity back to peoples’ lives,” said Brandie Moreno, Assistant Vice President, The Community Preservation Corporation. “We’re proud to be part of the team financing Jericho Anthony Avenue, a development that will add affordable housing to the neighborhood and provide dozens of New Yorkers with stable homes and supportive services. My thanks to the Jericho Project, HPD, and all of our partners for their commitment to creating a more affordable New York for everyone.”
Among its nine supportive housing residences, Jericho Project has built four residences in the Bronx that provide studio apartments, community rooms, exercise spaces and on-site counseling for employment, mental health support and life skills. The most recently developed residence, Walton House, serves 89 veterans and young adults.
Amie Gross AIA, President of Amie Gross Architects noted, “We are proud to be a part of this innovative project where the conversion of three separate buildings into one will bring huge improvements in socialization, economy and ease of operation. There is now an opportunity for a true sense of community where existing tenants and a new, younger group of residents will have significantly improved spaces to gather, socialize and call home, including enlarged and enhanced community rooms and welcoming, reimagined living spaces. What Jericho Project has done is to create a paradigm for the renovation and expansion of occupied buildings.’’
“This project offers us the opportunity to pursue sustainable goals by repurposing and renovating spaces in New York,” Lyon added.
About Jericho Project: Jericho Project empowers individuals and families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity by providing housing and person-centered services to address social inequities. For 38 years, Jericho has provided supportive housing and counseling services to thousands of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse.
Jericho Project employs rigorous fiscal discipline and works with valued public-private partnerships and a foundation of dedicated donors to advance its mission. Jericho’s housing and extended services cost $15,000 per person annually, compared to $32,000 for a single shelter, $50,000 for a family shelter, and $168,000 for a jail cell annually.
About The New York City 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 diverse, thriving neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan and development programs for new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of the existing housing stock, enforcement of housing quality standards, and educational programs for tenants and building owners. HPD is tasked advancing the goals of the City’s housing plan – a critical pillar of Your Home NYC, Mayor de Blasio’s comprehensive approach to helping New Yorkers get, afford, and keep housing in these challenging times. For full details visit www.nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.
About The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC): CPC is a nonprofit multifamily finance company that was founded in 1974 to provide financial resources to stabilize and revitalize underserved communities. Today, CPC uses its unique expertise in housing finance and public policy to expand access to affordable housing and drive down the costs of housing production, advance diversity and equity within the development industry, and impact the effects of climate change in our communities through the financing of sustainable housing. Since its founding, CPC has invested over $12 billion to finance the creation and preservation of more than 220,000 units of housing through its lending and investing platforms. CPC is a carbon neutral company and has been rated AA- by S&P. Visit CPC at communityp.com, and on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn