Categories: New York City, Member News, Openings
09.26.2019
The residence adds supportive housing units to the Bronx’s Norwood neighborhood.
On Thursday, Sept. 19th, development partners and local and state elected officials joined The Doe Fund and Robert Sanborn Development for an official ribbon-cutting for Webster Green in the Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx. Webster Green contains 82 units of affordable housing, including 41 supportive homes for formerly homeless individuals and families.
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her happiness about the residence. “With this development, 81 families have been provided with a sense of security and a peace of mind,” she said.
George McDonald, founder and President of The Doe Fund, said, ““The Doe Fund’s development of affordable and supportive housing is a natural progression of the 30 years of work we have done in combating homelessness and the debilitating cycles of poverty, addiction and recidivism. Webster Green represents the collaborative model of development to meet the affordable housing challenges we face today in our State.”
Maygen Moore, Senior Community Investment Officer at Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), said, “Webster Green will be a welcome home for vulnerable, low-income New Yorkers, providing them a safe and supportive platform from which to stabilize their health and move forward with their lives.”
Senator Jamaal Bailey said “Housing is a human right, and the housing crisis has been affecting all areas of the state, especially in the Bronx. Projects like the Webster Green Apartments are vital in order to preserve affordable housing for Bronx residents and provide state of the art facilities. This apartment complex focuses on fighting the rampant issue of homelessness that the city is currently facing.”
The single, eight-story building mixes studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments and features high-efficiency energy elements that earned it Gold LEED certification. Tenant amenities include a rear garden, a computer room, laundry facilities, bike room, and a lounge. There is also 24-hour security and a live-in superintendent.
Supportive services for residents are funded by NYC Human Resources Administration’s HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA).
Other financing for Webster Green included federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that were syndicated by Raymond James Tax Credit Funds Inc., and generated $12.8 million in equity and $4.5 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance provided $6.5 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided $159,000. Citi provided a $13.7 million construction loan and $1.2MM in Citi subordinate debt on the project. The New York City Human Resources Administration is providing referrals for those tenants who will be receiving rental assistance for the 41 supportive apartments.
Webster Green was designed by lead architect Fernando Villa of MAP Architects and Galaxy Construction was the general contractor.