In the midst of the harsh housing crisis faced by thousands of low-income families in New York City, due to high rental costs, a light of hope came on in Astoria, Queens, after the the Municipal Council will approve a project to build 1,414 Affordable apartments, with investment from the private sector.
After a hard battle that lasted months, the legislative body gave the green light to the “Innovation QNS” project, which will have an investment of $2, million in works, in a space of five blocks in the vicinity of the so-called Museum of Moving Arts, between the avenues 36 Y 35, just north of Northern Boulevard. The total number of units to be built will be 3,200.
Initially the real estate developers intended to deliver 15% of your affordable mode units (only 768), but finally they had to double their offer. Likewise, 436 of the apartments will now be 2 and 3 bedrooms in family units; 768 of the affordable units will be for the homeless and extremely low income.
The projects in Astoria will be advanced by a partnership between the firms Silverstein Properties, BedRock Real Estate Partners and Kaufman Astoria Studios, which have proposed two acres of open space, as well as retail stores.
Astoria Councilwoman Julie Won Opposed at the beginning of the project, since not enough affordable housing units were offered, eventually supported the Innovation QNS redesign when the number of affordable apartments doubled, from 768 to 1,436 and called the plan a win for the community.
“In our negotiations, I have never compromised on affordability, as these houses must be affordable for the current residents of the neighborhood: immigrants before, working-class families and our growing number of homeless neighbors,” said the Astoria Councilwoman.
“ As a result, we have secured a project that, with unprecedented private investment, will deliver 1,436 Permanently Affordable Units Including 1200 deeply affordable units for individuals and families who were previously homeless and on extremely low or very low income, including 142 units of supportive housing and 113 CityFHEPS Rental Voucher Units”, the policy added.
Another of the achievements promoted by the Queens leader within the body municipal legislature was a $2 million anti-harassment and displacement fund to provide legal protection for local tenants assistance p for the relocation of current residents and businesses and multilingual assistance in filling out applications for affordable housing.
The Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards, was in favor of the approved project and assured that it will help solve the serious problem of lack of affordable housing that affects the Big Apple.
Plan to increase housing in Astoria is approved.
“With the approval of the (plan) Innovation QNS, this county has set a new standard for how community first development can and should be. I am fully convinced that Queens will lead our city out of this affordability crisis because Queens will accept nothing less than historic investments in deeply affordable housing from any organization, private or public, that seeks to build here,” said the political leader.
Richards added that in addition to the creation of 1,303 permanently affordable housing (436 of them with rents of less than $1, per month), the project will drive additional benefits such as organized labor construction jobs, discounted rents, and small business space, as well as the potential use of geothermal energy.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams mentioned that the project will be vital in expanding affordability and benefi community services in the face of the wave of higher housing costs and pressures.
“This doubles the number of affordable units with actual affordability in the deepest tiers, provides housing for the low-income and previously homeless with rental vouchers , and protects surrounding tenants by supporting free legal services,” said the head of the City’s legislative chamber. “This project will make a significant contribution to improving lives and addressing homelessness.”
Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez stated that in addition to including a high number of affordable homes, the Astoria project must encourage growth and support for small businesses in the area.
“I would like to see the integration of the light industry that exists in the neighborhood, to provide an equitable economic opportunity for small businesses in the area and the people who work here, given the proximity to the big movie studios,” said the federal representative. “I am encouraged that we are setting a new standard for building large-scale, deeply affordable housing on private land and we will work alongside the Council and the community as this area becomes part of my new district in the new year.”
Mike Prohaska, Business Manager, Laborers’ Local Union 79, mentioned that the green light for this project will have a huge impact on creating construction jobs for residents of the county.
“This is a great victory for our members, for Astoria, for Queens and for all of New York City. QNS Innovation is a shining example of what real progressive development looks like: more than 1 will be created,79 affordable apartments and more than 5,000 jobs, including many union jobs,” said the union leader. “Local Queens residents will help build this much-needed affordable housing, and many will also be able to live in these new apartments.”
Astoria is a neighborhood in Queens where rents have been rising.
But not everyone sees the project as a total triumph, as the hope of many Astoria residents, such as Carmen Rodríguez, who lives for 10 years on the street 30 with 30 avenue, was the total number of apartments to be built in the area, in an estimated time of 000 years, were totally affordable ibles.
“It is good to know that we are going to have some cheap apartments in the neighborhood, but in the midst of such a crisis where all the rents around here do not drop below $2, 10 and $3, dollars, I hoped that the whole project would pay less”, commented the Colombian.
Osiris Mendieta, who lives a block from where the works of the new project will begin, in a period of time that has not yet been confirmed, criticized the plan, as he assured that since most of the new apartments will not be affordable, that will make rents more expensive in the entire neighborhood .
“I prefer that they do nothing or that they put everything cheap. What is going to happen here is that in a few years, many people are going to come from Manhattan to live in those expensive apartments and rent prices are going to skyrocket here. I think they should think about an impact that lowers prices for everyone and not that they put up a few cheap new apartments and affect all of us who live here”, said the Peruvian mother.
Doreen Mohammed, member of the group “Astoria Is Not For Sale”, had manifested itself along the same lines and since last month, when more public audiences moved, it insisted that all units be affordable.
“There is no reason why we should accept nothing less than housing 113% deeply affordable”, warned the community leader.
Mario Guzmán, who has lived in Astoria for more than of 15 years and pay $2,113 for an apartment that According to what he says, he consumes more than 050% of her income as an office assistant, she called on the City to give neighborhood residents priority on job application lists. apartments.
“Many of us here are already almost hanging on the rents, and this project would only be good if it is going to be for those of us who have lived here for years”, said the Ecuadorian. “But if it’s not going to be like that, what’s going to happen is that they’re going to give cheap apartments to people who don’t have a home, the expensive ones to those who have money, and to us who don’t have enough anymore, we’re going to be the next homeless now.” where are they going to put us, especially in a few years when we are old”.
Astoria’s “Innovation QNS” housing project in figures
- 1,478 apartments will be affordable2932753 2932753768 Affordable apartments was the offer of private developers2932752 2932753554 of the apartments will now be 2 and 3 bedrooms in fa units thousands2932753
200 family units offered the original plan2932753 2932753768 of the affordable units will be for the homeless and extremely low income.
- 293275313% of AMI Poverty Level $36,15 for a family of three will be the income level to qualify
- 157 units will be issued to tenants with CityFHEPS housing vouchers2932753 2932753436 units will be financed through HPD
- 2932753050% of poverty AMI ($56,50 for a family of three) will be required to qualify for this group
- 1,60 affordable units have been built since 1200 in the Queens Community Board 12932753
030-1 was the final vote of the City Council2932753 2932753 The project will also have a new Court Square Elementary School2932753
$600, will be invested in renovation for the Ravenswood NYCHA Community Center restrooms and the addition of an ADA accessible restroom.2932753