2000 Best Practice Awards

2000-253 Fair Housing Enforcement - Testing

To conduct 600 tests of housing discrimination Coordinate the Set Aside program Recruit and train testers Obtain pro bono services from large law firms and provide litigation support.

2000-1473 Fair Housing Month Initiative

April has been designated "Fair Housing Month,' and in recognition of this, the New York City Housing Authority's Department of Equal Opportunity (DEO) organized the Authority's first Fair Housing Month Expo. This was held on Wednesday, 4/26/00, at the Red Hook Senior Center, located in Brooklyn, New York. The purpose of the Expo was to provide residents, community leaders, employees, and advocacy group representatives an opportunity to learn of the many services that NYCHA offers both its residents and, by extension, the neighborhoods in which its developments are located. At the Expo, in addition to printed information, attendees had the opportunity to meet with representative of various agencies and organizations to talk about issues related to fair housing and people with physical and mental disabilities. Information was also provided on how NYCHA assists applicants and residents with limited or no English-speaking ability. To ensure that all of NYCHA's residents were aware of National Fair Housing Month, information was distributed to the 343 NYCHA developments. This event will also be presented in Staten Island, Queens, and the Bronx during June, July, and August 2000. Click here for more photos.

2000-1538 New York OPH/New York City Housing Authority/Army Corp 504 Training

On 11/30/99 and 12/l/99, our Office in partnership with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) conducted a two day 504 handicapped accessibility training for staff from the NYCHA, HUD and Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). Over 40 attendees were at hand for the first day classroom training and approximately 30 participated in the inspection demonstration on the second day.

2000-1049 Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers Homeownership Program

The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers is developing an innovative program to encourage homeownership for public housing and Section 8 residents. The program is a collaborative effort with the Federal Home Loan Bank, the Yonkers Savings and Loan Association, the Hudson Valley Bank, and other banking institutions. The Housing Authority will use its own funds to foster first-time homeownership by issuing mortgages to eligible public housing and Section 8 families as well as some authority employees. The Housing Authority will provide extensive outreach to qualified residents to acquaint them with the program. Homeownership counseling including including budget preparation and evaluation will be provided to potential purchasers through a First Time Homebuyers Club. Both the Yonkers Savings and Loan Association and the Hudson Valley Bank have agreed to participate in the program as Service Providers. The Service Providers will originate and service the loans in accordance with approved underwriting standards. The Service Providers will accept applications, underwrite to the Authority's guidelines, and process all appropriate documentation for approvals. The Service Provider will close the mortgage loan utilizing funding from the service the loan for its duration including monthly collection of payment from the mortgagee. In the event of a loan default, the Service Provider will take all collection actions necessary including foreclosure if required. In the case of foreclosure, the Authority will re-market the home to another qualified Housing Authority resident.

2000-1303 HomeWorks

Under the HomeWorks program, vacant one- to four- family, City-owned buildings are conveyed through a competitive Request for Proposal process to experienced developers at $1/building, then completely rehabilitated and sold to individual home buyers at market prices. Owners are required to live in the homes, increasing the amount of local investment in the neighborhood and improving upon homeownership rates in areas with low owner-occupant populations. After conveying the buildings to private developers, the city provides gap financing to cover the difference between the market sale price and the development cost. In addition, the City provides a subsidy in the form of a non-amortizing loan that evaporates over a six year period. The City also provides partial tax exemption for a period of five years. The developers generally work with lenders to provide mortgages with low down payments, and the lenders use flexible underwriting standards to allow more rental income to qualify potential home buyers, which helps make most of the homes affordable to moderate- and middle-income purchasers. The subsidies and tax exemptions make HomeWorks particularly successful at linking moderate-income buyers to neighborhoods with significant homeownership possibilities. By rehabilitating pockets of vacant buildings on streets that are otherwise relatively intact, HomeWorks stabilizes neighborhoods by eliminating the blight of abandoned buildings. the result has been a strengthening of investment and owner-occupancy in the City's neighborhoods, creating a healthier commercial and residential environment in which to live and work. In round I of the program, 232 buildings consisting of 627 dwelling units were selected to undergo gut rehabilitation for sale to private home buyers. Currently these buildings are in various stages of development - some are already renovated and occupied while others are still under construction. Round II of the program is currently underway. It consists of one- to four- family homes and condominium apartments in various neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. As in Round I, home buyers are selected through HPD supervised lotteries conducted for each site. Preference for 30 to 40% of the homes is given to current residents of the communities in which the homes are located, and preference for 5% of the homes is given to uniformed members of the New York City Police Department under a new City initiative, NYPD Home.

2000-1056 Westchester's Campaign for Affordable Housing

Housing in New York's Westchester County is among the most expensive in the nation. Because wages in the County have not kept up with the escalating costs of housing, many people who are employed in the county cannot afford to live in the county. Today's affordable housing provides a stepping stone for young families, a smaller, more manageable home for seniors, or create housing for the County's workforce. Westchester County Executive Andrew J. Spano and the Westchester County Housing Opportunity Commission have retained "The Gold Standard" to create a campaign to gain public acceptance of Affordable Housing in each community in the county.

2000-1025 The Bridge Fund of New York, Inc.

The mission of the Bridge Fund is to prevent Homelessness. They provide help, hope and possibility to vulnerable poor individuals and families who are threatened with the loss of their housing, but find they do not qualify for governmental assistance.

2000-2704 The Continuum of Care Group - Nassau County, NY

Homelessness in Nassau County is being addressed through a Continuum of Care approach to help individuals and families move from homelessness to permanent housing and, to the extent possible, self-sufficiency. More than 50 agencies form the nucleus of Nassau's strong, diverse Continuum of Care (COC) Group, which includes not only non-profit providers, but also County housing, social service and mental health officials; community activists; homeless and formerly homeless persons; and representatives of foundations and religious and banking communities. The Nassau COC system includes preventive and outreach programs, emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent housing. The components are linked through an inter-agency effort which addresses the immediate and longer- term needs of the County's homeless persons. Rather than set up a separate system for the homeless, Nassau's COC strategy is aimed at accessing, strengthening and expanding existing community-based supports that assist homeless and other low-income persons to secure and retain housing and maintain themselves in the community. These supports include food and meals, clothing, shelter, advocacy and legal services, health care, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, counseling and case management, child care and educational assessments, job training and placement, training in independent living skills, and other services. Supportive housing is provided by non-profit organizations in scattered-site apartments and houses. A comprehensive inter-related COC strategy of housing and services is required to deal with the complex causes and results of homelessness and to help homeless persons move from the street to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Nassau County's COC strategy includes the following components: homelessness prevention; outreach; intake and assessment; emergency shelter; transitional supportive housing; permanent supportive housing; and services to increase skills and/or income as a bridge to self-sufficiency.

2000-1980 Supportive Housing Network of New York

The Supportive Housing Network of New York (The Network) is a membership organization of non-profit supportive housing providers with 156 member agencies throughout New York State. Our member agencies provide safe, affordable housing for persons with limited incomes, including persons who are formerly homeless, have mental or physical disabilities, are living with HIV/AIDS and/or have a history of substance abuse. The Network provides resources, public education, and advocacy on behalf of the provider community and the approximately 17,000 tenants living in supportive housing. Since its inception 12 years ago, the Network has grown to become the leader in public education, advocacy, resource sharing and policy analysis related to supportive housing in New York State. The greatest value of the Network is its ability to advocate on behalf of member agencies and tenants concerning the myriad issues affecting supportive housing, such as: capital and services funding from federal, state, and local government sources; welfare reform; tenant employment and AIDS housing policies. As the voice for the supportive housing movement in New York, the Network actively educates the general public and policy makers about this cost-effective and permanent solution to homelessness. The Network communicates information through newsletters, fax alerts, photography exhibits, testimony at public hearings, lobby days, and by providing tours of supportive housing residences. The Network also provides training and information to its members, hosting workshops and an annual conference on an array of issues affecting the members of the coalition. Issues include how to best access and utilize funding sources, make referrals, manage changes in welfare policies, and best practices in managing building operations and in providing quality supportive and employment services for tenants. In addition, the Network facilitates peer networking groups, where supportive housing providers can meet and exchange information with peers from their region. The Network also facilitates the exchange of information among non-profit supportive housing developers, state and local governments, and the business community.

2000-1839 1551 Straight Path Supermarket Project

As a major anchor of the Economic Revitalization Plan for downtown Wyandanch, New York, the Town of Babylon and its Community Development Program, administered by the Long Island Partnership Community Development Corporation (LIPCDC), has secured a developer and supermarket operator, Alfredo Rodriguez of Associated Supermarket to build a 20,000 square foot supermarket, which will also house a branch of Chase Manhattan Bank and a Suffolk County Police Substation. The Town has retained control of the project by leasing the property to the developer. In cooperation with the Town, HUD and NYS Empire State Development, the developer/operator has hired several local, minority owned subcontractors and will hire and train a minimum of 51% of the employees from the community who are also low and moderate income. Nearly ten years ago, the Town's Community Development Program began to work with the community to meet the requested need for a supermarket. Upon being hired in 1997, LIPCDC began the search for an appropriate developer who had the experience, financial ability and willingness to work with this community. Through Chase Manhattan Bank, LIPCDC was put in touch with Associated Supermarket, an experienced independent supermarket developer and owner. The land was purchased through condemnation, using funds from HUD's CDBG Section 108 Repayment Program. CDBG funds also paid for the relocation of existing tenants, so the older, unusable building could be demolished and the site cleared. All environmental clearances were completed by the Town. Adding to the development costs for the site are a lack of sewers in the area, coupled with a high water table. To provide the necessary on site sanitary system to meet Suffolk County Office of Health Services requirements and to do so without a significant grade level increase, funds were obtained from Empire State Development for infrastructure improvements.

2000-2391 Harlem Technology Center

Creation of high-tech, multi-media and telecommunications training center for community residents.

2000-3000 Glen Cove Downtown Revitalization 2000

The collaboration and dedication of many organizations and agencies, from City and CDA Staff, the Business Improvement District, Chamber of Commerce, La Fuerza Unida De Glen Cove, property owners and citizens working together made changes possible. Mayor Suozzi's open door policy bridged the gap so often found between government and private sector. In 1997, a Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) was formed with financial assistance of a NYS Urban Development Corp. grant and the technical support of the Glen Cove Community Development Agency. Property owners, merchants and City representatives worked tirelessly to develop programs and events designed to retain old businesses, attract new ones and let area residents know Glen Cove was a City on the move.

2000-761 Urban Resources Partnership

Partnership of federal, state agencies and non-profits restoring the urban environment in low income areas of NYC. There are many projects including the cleanup of the Bronx river, creation of new urban parks, restoration of the natural environment of Jamaica bay, Roy Wilkens park and many other natural areas serving large low income areas with a combined population of over 2 million.

2000-1783 NYCHA's Future Kids Program

FutureKids @ NYCHA is an Afterschool Computer Technology Training Program through which up to 1,000 NYCHA youth, ages 9-12, who attend 25 after school programs citywide are given an introduction to computer usage and specific types of computer applications; which include, but are not limited to: an introduction to computer hardware, navigating the Windows environment; Web page development; and introduction to word processing, spreadsheets, and databases. The goal of the program is to teach computer literacy skills by having students create practical, reality based projects using a variety of computer application software, while, at the same time, fostering a challenging, cooperative, rigorous academic environment.

2000-2359 Goodwill Industries Neighborhood Network

On March 9, 1998, A Neighborhood Networks Learning Center, The Diane Armstrong Family Learning Center was formally opened at the Goodwill Terrace Apartments in Astoria, Queens, NY. Goodwill Terrace Apartments, constructed in 1979, is a 208 unit Section 207/223(f) Purchase With Refinance project with rent subsidy under HUD's Section 236 Program. Within the development, 65% of the residents are handicapped, 20% are single parents and 15% are senior citizens. Adjacent to Goodwill Terrace Apartments are approximately 5,000 units of Public Housing (Astoria Houses). The objectives of the center are to: 1)Close the technology gap for neighborhood youths and adults 2) Promote a life-long love for learning 3) Encourage young people to stay in school and excel 4) Help adults qualify for better jobs through improved skills. The Center represents a cooperative effort between Goodwill Industries and Queens Collage, LaGuardia Community College, the State University of New York (SUNY), the New York City Board of Education, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, the New York Hall of Science, Steinway Child and Family Services, and HUD.

2000-2963 Partnership Between PIH and REAC for the NYCHA Operations Initiatives Department

To develop the strategy, ensure that field personnel understand what is needed, serve as a quality control unit and to be the liaison to the HUD Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) on Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) issues.

2000-2008 1199 Housing Corp.

This project was turned around from among the worst properties in our inventory to one of our very good properties on sound financial footing. A difficult situation was remedied by HUD, the Board of Directors of the cooperative, a new management agent, the New York City Housing Preservation Department (HPD), and the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC)working together to bring about the development of a MIO (Management Improvement Operating Plan) which would address the most serious physical problems such as elevator renovations, roof replacement, and heating system repairs. In addition, emphasis was placed on getting approximately 90 vacant units in shape for rental to improve the property's income stream.

2000-2083 Lexington Gardens

This 108 unit high rise property's physical condition had deteriorated into an unsatisfactory condition back in 1995 under the then general partner and managing agent. In addition, the property had become a haven for illegal drug use and distribution. HUD and the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) working as partners using a carrot and stick approach which was able to convince the limited partners of the property to replace the managing general partner with a responsible entity, Marion Scott Realty. A transfer of physical assets (TPA) was recommended to the previous general partners and approved by HUD. In addition, HDC and HUD and Marion Scott Realty worked together to develop a plan to restore both the physical and financial condition of the property. A final plan was developed which provided for more than $650,000 in capital improvements and increased rental subsidies to pay for 24 hour security in the building. HDC increased its mortgage loan to the project by an additional $400,000, and was thus able to leverage an additional $250,000 equity investment by the new managing general partner to repair the property. By the end of 1997 the property was repaired and passed housing quality inspections, and a claim on the FHA mortgage insurance fund and a failure of one of financed HDC's bond projects was averted.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011