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Q&A
Discussion on homeownership options for the Brownsville NCP project
0:19:17
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129 sec
Council Member Sandy Nurse inquires about the lack of homeownership units in the Brownsville NCP project. Project representatives explain the history of the project's development and the reasons for focusing on rental units.
- The original RFP included both rental and homeownership components, which were later split into separate projects
- Deepening affordability was prioritized over homeownership, as homeownership units target higher AMI tiers
- Other homeownership opportunities in the area were discussed with the community board
- The community is getting both rental and homeownership options through separate projects
Sandy Nurse
0:19:17
For the record, know the committee board was very vocal about this, but if you could just put on the record why you've opted out of making any of these units for apartment home ownership.
Michelle de la Uz
0:19:30
We didn't actually opt out.
0:19:32
So when we first applied more than ten years in response to the RFP, it was Fifth Avenue Committee with Habitat for Humanity for New York City and Westchester.
0:19:44
And then we were selected in 2017.
0:19:47
And then basically the two projects were split.
0:19:50
So Habitat moved forward with their home ownership project and Fifth Avenue Committee is moving forward with the rental project.
0:19:55
So it's not really an opting, the community is really getting the best of both worlds, both homeownership and affordable rental.
Sandy Nurse
0:20:01
But they've expressed that they would have preferred some part of this project of the three buildings to be to have homeownership components.
0:20:10
I understand the original RFP, but there's been a long time and a lot of new monies have come in.
0:20:15
So just did you have those conversations and did you communicate to the board and what were those reasons just so we can have them here as well?
Amhara Hernandez
0:20:25
Absolutely.
0:20:25
If you could actually go to the last slide of this deck.
0:20:29
The second to last slide first, please.
0:20:34
So we when we were in the community board phase of EULRP, we had a variety of conversations with the community board and home ownership was raised.
0:20:41
But one of the primary priorities of the community board was deepening affordability and what we, you know, discussed with them is that the homeownership target amis were of higher tiers of moderate income and that, you know, in order to deepen affordability, it really doesn't match that term sheet.
0:20:58
However, if you go to the next slide, we did speak to other home ownership opportunities that are coming to the area soon.
0:21:06
You know, that we would be happy to come to them with the project teams at a later time to discuss with them.
0:21:13
But ultimately, that seemed like a sufficient response when we were speaking with them.
0:21:19
And we are always happy to discuss further.
Sandy Nurse
0:21:23
Okay.
0:21:24
Those are all my questions.
0:21:25
Thank you.
0:21:25
Sorry.