"We're tackling housing insecurity and homelessness head-on with this project that will deliver high-quality, affordable homes to New Yorkers," Governor Hochul said. "This development on Baez Place in The Bronx will uplift the entire community with more than 150 units of housing as well as wraparound services for seniors and people experiencing homelessness, the latest effort from our $25 billion housing plan to unlock opportunity and give families a safe, stable place to call home."
Baez Place is part of Governor Hochul's sweeping plans to make housing more affordable, equitable, and stable. In the FY 2023 State Budget, the Governor introduced and successfully secured a new $25 billion, five-year, comprehensive housing plan that will increase housing supply by creating or preserving 100,000 affordable homes across New York including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes.
Baez Place consists of 105 studio, 21 one-bedroom, 22 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom apartments. The apartments will be affordable to households with incomes between 30 and 80 percent of the Area Median Income.
Supportive services and rental subsidies will be funded through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health.
Community Access Inc., also the project's developer, will provide on-site social services that will include individual counseling, self-help groups, structured group activities, harm-reduction services, linkages with community mental health and health care providers, medication management assistance, and employment referrals.
Additional services focused on senior tenants will include individual support and linkages to services by a dedicated Senior Advocate, and on-site primary care services provided by a physician or nurse practitioner under contract to Community Access.
Residential amenities at Baez Place will include a community room with a commercial kitchen, computer room, laundry room, exercise room, and 24/7 front desk security. Each apartment will be equipped with free broadband internet access. Residents will have the opportunity to participate in urban agriculture in the outdoor green space and in a greenhouse located on the top floor of the building.
The neighborhood area in the immediate vicinity of the development offers a diverse mix of park and recreational spaces, places of worship, health care facilities, schools, and various eateries. The site is adjacent to Richman (Echo) Park to the north and near MTA bus stops, the subway stops for the B and D lines, and the Metro North Harlem line Tremont station.
State financing for Baez Place Apartments includes $17.6 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Tax Credits that will generate $38.7 million in equity and $12 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is providing $7 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said, "New Yorkers with a serious mental illness often find themselves and their families facing housing instability as a result of their condition. Permanent supportive housing, like the dozens of new units Baez Place will soon offer, will provides the services these individuals and families need to remain safely housed in an independent setting. Governor Hochul's continued effort to expand permanent supportive housing throughout our state demonstrates her resolve to ensure all New Yorkers have access to safe, affordable homes."
Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan said, "Governor Hochul's historic housing plan and her commitment to supportive housing have provided thousands of New Yorkers living with mental illness safe and stable homes, which is a critically important component of their recovery. Baez Place will be a beautiful addition to the Mount Hope neighborhood, and will give vulnerable people in the Bronx the opportunity to live and thrive in their own community."
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, "Advocating for affordable housing that benefits all New Yorkers is a top priority in my Administration and we are thrilled that the Baez Place development fits within this model of bringing housing equity and fairness to those that need it the most. With 154 units, 86 set aside for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness, we can be certain that our most vulnerable residents will now have access to safe, clean, and healthy living environments in our borough. I want to thank Community Access, New York State Homes & Community Renewal, and everyone else involved in bringing this project into fruition and for fighting for housing equity."
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