Q&A
Discussion on lack of homeownership units in District 15 and potential program modifications
1:40:13
·
4 min
Council Member Feliz raises concerns about the lack of homeownership units in District 15 and the low number of units produced citywide. Commissioner Carrión and First Deputy Commissioner Tigani discuss obstacles, potential sites, and the high cost of homeownership programs.
- No homeownership units have been built in District 15 in recent years
- HPD is working on two sites in District 15, including one with a Community Land Trust
- The homeownership program is the most expensive program run by HPD, with one homeownership unit costing the same as two rental units
- Recent changes have been made to the Open Door term sheet to improve its success
Oswald Feliz
1:40:13
Also, all of us have had a lot of conversations about this topic.
1:40:16
But if I'm correct in the last few years, we haven't built 1 single homeownership unit in my district and district 15.
1:40:24
And my district has gone 0 for the for the issue of lack of homeownership we're actually we have one of the lowest homeownership rates in the entire setting.
1:40:32
So just curious, why have we not build homeownership in this part of the Bronx?
1:40:36
What are obstacles that you faced when building or trying to build in this area.
Adolfo Carrión Jr.
1:40:42
I I will say that and we recently had a time together in your district.
1:40:49
It was probably the coldest day of the year that we met.
1:40:54
And you've presented some sites that are, you know, are interesting possibilities and I know that at the end of that discussion, we left off that we would continue to look at your district map and identify new opportunities The sites that drive our investments.
1:41:19
The lion's share of the work that we do is driven by privately owned sites and private applications.
1:41:27
And then we have the opportunity to issue requests for proposals for public sites where We've incorporated throughout the city, the ask in different parts of the city.
1:41:42
Based on local member's advocacy, based on the local market conditions based on the appetite.
1:41:48
So I'm not certain about the history of sites in your district that have come before us.
1:41:57
I don't know if Ahmed, we have some public sites there.
Ahmed Tigani
1:42:00
We do.
1:42:01
I know that we have 2 sites that we're working on in your district 1 which is with a CLT that I think is known to your office.
Memo Salazar
1:42:07
Yeah.
Ahmed Tigani
1:42:07
And we can meet with you after to continue going over the details, but those are in our pipeline, and they're important to us.
1:42:14
And we have other public sites where we're doing open door across the city.
Oswald Feliz
1:42:18
Okay.
1:42:18
Sure.
1:42:19
If I could just ask one more question.
Jimmy Oddo
1:42:21
Sure.
Oswald Feliz
1:42:22
Yep.
1:42:22
So 177 units in 1 year.
1:42:24
That number is extremely low.
1:42:27
177 units affordable co ops or homeownership opportunities in an entire setting and entire that number is extremely low.
1:42:36
So just wondering, are there any modifications, any way that we could modify the open door program to make building affordable home ownership a little bit easier?
Adolfo Carrión Jr.
1:42:45
Let me let me go back to a comment I made during the time back and forth with council member wrestler.
1:42:54
And and add just a point of information for you.
1:43:00
For every one homeownership the homeownership program is the most expensive program we we run.
1:43:06
The subsidy is unbelievable.
1:43:10
For every one homeownership unit that we can produce, we we could for every one homeownership unit that we produce, we can produce 2.
1:43:20
Rental units for 2 families, for 2 households.
1:43:24
And again, the lion's share of the need in our city is for renter household, workforce housing, housing for low low income families.
1:43:37
So just as a backdrop for this discussion, and we welcome, you know, talking about how we best invest in homeownership going forward.
Ahmed Tigani
1:43:49
The only thing I'll add, sir, is that we also work with the state on this.
1:43:53
So again, I've been in our down payment assistance program.
1:43:56
The state has a down payment assistance program.
1:43:58
You also have the affordable housing opportunity program, which we leverage and work with them to expand homeownership opportunities.
1:44:05
Justin Queens, with the create more proposal, there are hundreds of affordable housing homeownership opportunities leverage there.
1:44:13
So I will take a step back and say that the open door term sheet did go through changes recently so that we can continue to use it.
1:44:20
So, hopefully, built on those changes, they'll be more successful.
1:44:22
And between the state and the city, more resources are coming for homeowners including keeping people in their homes.
1:44:28
So I'll just plug home first, which is a term sheet to allow for repairs and adhere towards seniors sort of home fix for repairs and geared toward low income families and seniors in their homes.
Oswald Feliz
1:44:44
Alright.
1:44:45
You.
1:44:45
No more questions, but just want to emphasize, we want to see results on this issue.
1:44:49
We need to give this issue additional time, attention, energy, We appreciate all the conversations that we've had about this, but we want to see results on this.
1:44:58
Thank you.