Comprehensive upgrades and repairs were made to over 1,700 apartments and outdoor spaces to improve the quality of life for more than 2,900 residents
New York, NY (June 24, 2024) – The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and partner team, PACT Renaissance Collaborative (PRC), today announced the completion of comprehensive renovations to 16 Manhattan developments as part of the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. Upgrades and repairs were made for over 2,900 residents living in 1,718 apartments at developments in Upper Manhattan, Murray Hill, and the Upper West Side: 335 East 111th Street; Park Avenue-East 122nd, 123rd Streets; Manhattanville Rehab (Group 2); Manhattanville Rehab (Group 3); Public School 139 (Conversion); Samuel (MHOP) I; Samuel (MHOP) II; Samuel (MHOP) III; Fort Washington Avenue Rehab; Grampion; Washington Heights Rehab (Groups 1 & 2); Washington Heights Rehab Phase III; Washington Heights Rehab Phase IV (C); Washington Heights Rehab Phase IV (D); Wise Towers; and 344 East 28th Street.
“This administration’s housing plan prioritized improvements for NYCHA communities,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “The completion of these renovations for over 2,900 NYCHA residents is proof of that commitment. We thank NYCHA residents in these developments and PRC for their collaboration and commitment to their neighbors.”
“It is exciting to see the PACT program complete $383 million worth of renovations at 1,718 homes across 16 Manhattan developments,” said Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. “As a result of this work and partnership between NYCHA, HDC, and the PRC team, over 2,900 residents receive the comprehensive upgrades and repairs their homes need and deserve. Today is a great reminder of what is possible when we prioritize NYCHA communities in our work to provide safe and affordable housing across the city.”
“NYCHA is ecstatic to announce the completion of construction at 16 developments in Manhattan through the PACT program,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Over 2,900 residents, many of whom worked closely with the Authority and the selected PACT partner team to design the plan for their campuses, are now getting to experience the fruit of that labor. It’s a tremendous pleasure to have worked alongside our partners and the residents themselves to deliver the quality renovations that they deserve for their homes.”
“Over 2,900 NYCHA residents across this bundle have had their homes and communities transformed because of the PACT program. Congratulations to all of our residents and our PACT partners for reaching this huge milestone,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia. “We are very proud to see over $380 million in investments made across Manhattan to preserve our critical public housing stock.”
“I am incredibly grateful for the work PRC did at our building,” said Fort Washington Avenue Rehab Tenant Association President Olga Lauriano. “We were in desperate need of repairs, and they gave us the help we needed. These apartments are beautiful and much more accessible for our senior and handicapped residents at the buildings. All our residents are very happy here and I truly never thought I could live like this.”
“Through this PACT partnership, over 1,700 households across the Manhattan Bundle 1 portfolio are now benefitting from guaranteed affordability, comprehensive home renovations, and capital upgrades to their buildings,” said New York City Housing Development Corporation President Eric Enderlin. “Congratulations to all the residents and partners involved, whose hard work and commitment to transforming the city’s public housing stock have made this project such a success.”
“It has been a privilege to work in partnership with these residents over the last four years to transform their homes into places they can be proud of,” said Monadnock Development President Kirk Goodrich. “This transformational effort is proof of what is possible when a public-private partnership of mission-driven organizations comes together with a spirit of humility and compassion, and a commitment to the people we serve, and I challenge others to meet or exceed the standard we’ve set here when it comes to future investments in public housing.”
“NYCHA’s housing is a critical and irreplaceable piece of our city’s affordable housing stock that has long needed this kind of long-term investment and attention,” said The Community Preservation Corporation Chief Executive Officer Rafael E. Cestero. “I am proud to be part of a team of skilled development, construction, and management partners that reflect the diversity and vitality of the NYCHA communities we are serving. The revitalization of the properties across the Manhattan portfolio exemplifies our commitment to a collective mission to preserve our public housing and to make life better for the New Yorkers who call NYCHA home. Our thanks to our PRC partners, to NYCHA and HDC, and to our local elected officials for their support. We’d also like to thank the NYCHA residents and tenant leaders for their input, patience, and collaboration in helping us accomplish this together.”
“CDT is enormously proud to complete this transformative project, directly improving the lives of thousands of residents and preserving a critical affordable housing resource for New York City,” said The Community Development Trust President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Reilly. “This achievement was the result of an aligned partnership with the residents and our public partners. We thank our partners in NYCHA, HDC, CPC, Monadnock Development, CLOTH, Kalel Holdings, and Lemor Development for their work and dedication in completing this work. As long-term, mission-focused partners, we look forward to continuing to work with all of our public and private partners to steward these properties so that they will continue to provide residents with stable, high-quality affordable housing for the long term.”
“The tremendous outcome achieved here is proof that through innovative programs like PACT/RAD, we not only can preserve public housing, but also can rebuild the trust of its residents and create homes that offer the high quality of life they deserve,” said Kalel Companies Founding Principal Pierre Downing. “We are grateful to NYCHA, our PRC partners, and especially to the residents who allowed us into their homes and whose collaboration drove the success of this endeavor.”
“CLOTH is thrilled to be the social services provider for the individuals and families who reside in the 1,700 units of this project, and we are honored to have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of so many people,” said Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) Executive Director Yvonne Stennett. “As a member of the PRC team, we are proud to have partnered with NYCHA to bring a comprehensive set of services to residents within their developments. We look forward to continuing our partnership with PRC, NYCHA and residents.”
“We believe that the NYCHA PACT initiative has been a critical tool in ensuring that these properties receive the resources they’ve long required to bring the change and transformation that NYCHA’s residents deserve,” said Lemor Development Group Principal Harrison Rayford. “We are honored to partner with NYCHA, the tenants, and our partners in PRC to make these much-needed building improvements come to fruition across the Manhattan portfolio, and to make this vital piece of our city’s housing stock sustainable for years to come.”
Since 2019, NYCHA and the PACT partner team, PRC, have worked to design and implement renovations at each of the 16 developments in close coordination with the residents of each development. Renovations to the properties include new high-quality kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, and flooring; repairs to roofs and façades; elevator and security system improvements; and enhanced common areas featuring thoughtfully designed landscaping and upgraded playgrounds. Notably, the renovation of Wise Towers also included the meticulous restoration and preservation of a historically significant public art installation by Italian sculptor Costantino Nivola. The series of concrete modernist horse sculptures on the property’s outdoor plaza were restored in coordination with Fondazione Nivola, a Sardinia-based non-profit.
PRC, a consortium of leading organizations dedicated to the development, preservation, and revitalization of affordable housing in New York City, is comprised of Monadnock Development, The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), The Community Development Trust (CDT), Kalel Companies, Lemor Development Group, Community League of the Heights (CLOTH), and Cornell Pace Inc. (CPI).
The completion of this transformative renovation project represents a remarkable achievement for NYCHA, PRC, and the communities involved. It underscores a commitment to providing quality, affordable housing to NYCHA residents while preserving the irreplaceable public housing stock.
The PACT program transitions developments from traditional public housing assistance to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program — unlocking funding for designated PACT partners to complete comprehensive repairs. Overall, 138 NYCHA developments (representing over 37,000 apartments) are in pre-development, are under construction, or have completed construction through the program. The Authority is on track to include 62,000 apartments in the PACT program in order to bring the benefits of comprehensive apartment repairs and building upgrades, as well as enhanced property management and social services, to more than 142,000 residents. The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), New York City’s municipal Housing Finance Agency, is the key financing partner for PACT. In addition to providing or arranging the financing, HDC provides ongoing asset management and compliance support for PACT transactions.
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About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 528,105 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.