QUESTION
What are the specifics of the Bronx project regarding site ownership and consideration for homeownership?
0:30:07
·
99 sec
HPD details city ownership of sites, their process for choosing rental construction over homeownership, and future plans for homeownership projects.
- All discussed sites are city-owned, with some designated for development as far back as 2014.
- Rental construction was chosen due to the complexities of the lots, despite consideration of different housing types.
- Low homeownership rates in the Bronx neighborhood prompted community board requests for homeownership opportunities, which were acknowledged but not initially acted upon.
- HPD commits to incorporating homeownership projects in response to community board demands later in the year.
Oswald Feliz
0:30:07
So a few questions about this project.
0:30:09
Can you talk to us about what exactly you're seeking?
0:30:12
You're not seeking or resolving your seeking in this position?
0:30:15
Can you talk to us about when that process was started and give us a little bit more information about that.
0:30:23
Who owns the land?
0:30:24
And
Adam Beckerman
0:30:25
So these are these are all city owned sites.
0:30:29
The RFQ, I believe, was released in 2014, and these sites were designated.
0:30:36
2 of the sites were designated in 2018 and 1 of them in 2019.
Oswald Feliz
0:30:43
Okay.
0:30:43
And this community board project after project has asked for homeownership in this part of the Bronx.
0:30:52
That committee board committee board states has some of the lowest homeownership rates in the entire city.
0:30:58
So is this something that was considered as part of the project?
0:31:01
If yes, why was that not made an option or possible?
Arvind Sindhwani
0:31:07
Appreciate the question, council member.
0:31:09
So to speak to that, homeownership.
0:31:12
You know, when we look at our vacant lots and redevelopment programs, we do consider all the different types of housing types given the complexities with these lots that the team mentioned earlier on in the presentation, rental made the most sense.
0:31:27
And they were designated for rental construction in 2018 2019.
0:31:32
But to the community board's demands, definitely heard loud and clear, HPD, takes their feedback and their recommendations into serious consideration, and we'll be bringing homeownership projects to that board later on this year.
Oswald Feliz
0:31:45
Okay.