HUD Celebrates Affordable Senior Housing Renovation in Brooklyn

Regional Administrator Holly Leicht talks about HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration before a crowd at Marien-Heim Towers.

HUD Regional Administrator Holly Leicht joined New York State Officials, developers, and residents for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Marien Heim Senior Housing Development in the Crown Heights Neighborhood of Brooklyn on October 6, 2016. The 181-unit development was constructed in 1975 through HUD's Section 236 program. Over 40 years later, the building was in need of capital maintenance and upgrades, and Marien-Heim Tower Associates worked with MDG and HVPG to secure funding through New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) (www.nyshcr.org/) to finance the renovations while preserving its affordability for low-income seniors.

The development leveraged HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD), which facilitated the $52.7 million acquisition and rehab project, and included $16 million in construction costs. All renovations were carried out with the tenants in place. They feature energy and green improvements, façade and exterior repairs and replacements, apartment rehabilitations, building beautification, and quality of life improvements. Apartment upgrades include new kitchens (cabinets, appliances, flooring, sinks), new water-saving bathroom sinks, showers and toilets, apartment floor repairs, new GFI outlets in the bathrooms and painting. The energy and green improvements consist of switching from an oil boiler to a new high-efficiency gas boiler; new windows, balcony doors and building entry doors; energy-efficient lighting throughout the building; bi-level lighting in the public hallways and stairwells; occupancy sensors in trash rooms, cellar and ground floor rooms; energy efficient exhaust fans; and weather stripping at all entry doors. BrightPower (www.brightpower.com/) is monitoring the building's energy improvements, and since their implementation, Marien-Heim Tower saved $49,749 in combined energy, electric, gas and water costs between August 2015 and August 2016. Overall energy, gas, and water usage has decreased by 19%.

Regional Administrator Holly Leicht joins State Officials, Developers, and Residents to Cut the Ribbon at Marien-Heim Towers in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Other renovations and improvements at Marien-Heim Tower include: extensive masonry repairs; wood flooring as needed; new closet doors; new windows and balcony doors; new intercom and nurse call stations; new circuit breaker panels and lighting; new paint in apartments; new lobby and entranceway; new landscaping, fencing, and parking; renovated public hallways including removal of old carpeting; a new water tank; upgraded security; new under-cabinet lighting in kitchens; and aerosealing of all ductwork in building.

HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration program has been a powerful tool for preserving affordable housing across New York State. New York accounts for nearly 40% of the nationwide number of units converted under the RAD to date, and 30% of the closed transactions. To learn more about this innovative new financing mechanism, visit www.hud.gov/rad.

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