2 Harlem Affordable Housing Proposals Opposed By Local Lawmakers

HARLEM, NY — Two Harlem lawmakers said Thursday they would oppose the city's plans to construct large affordable housing developments in East Harlem, saying the local community had not gotten enough input into the plans.

The surprise announcement by Assemblymember Robert Rodriguez and Councilmember Bill Perkins came nearly four months after the city unveiled plans for the two large developments, which are slated to be built on Park Avenue near East 118th Street and on East 120th Street near First Avenue.

Though the projects promise nearly 600 units of affordable housing and a new Afro-Latin Music and Arts Center, Rodriguez and Perkins say that the developers chosen for both buildings have inadequate neighborhood ties.

Their strongly-worded statements include references to Robert Moses — the legendary city planner accused of racist building practices — and allegations that the projects would displace local organizations.

"It comes down to who owns the community," Rodriguez told Patch on Thursday. They decided to speak out publicly after conversations with the city failed to produce any changes to the plans, he said.

In their statement, Rodriguez and Perkins also said the city is breaking its own rules requiring new affordable housing projects on public land to be at least 25-percent controlled by a nonprofit or minority-and-women-owned business — a claim that Patch could not immediately verify.

The city’s Housing Preservation & Development department defended the projects when reached for comment Thursday, saying they would “honor East Harlem’s cultural heritage and the neighborhood’s vision to pair much-needed affordable housing with investments in job training, after-school programming, healthcare and the arts.”

"There was not enough input gathered"

The larger of the two buildings would be built on the current NYPD 25th Precinct parking lot, on the east side of Park Avenue between East 118th and 119th streets. Known as "Timbale Terrace," the development would contain 330 affordable homes, including 99 set aside for formerly homeless households.

It will also contain the performing arts center, operated by the Harlem-based Afro Latin Jazz Alliance and built in partnership with the Lantern Organization and Mega Development. Other features will include practice rooms, art galleries, community performance spaces, recording studios and street-facing retail spaces.

Rodriguez, though, faults the developers for a lack of local connections. (Lantern is based in Midtown, and Mega is from Astoria, Queens.)

The second building will be constructed at 413 East 120th St., abutting the former La Clinica Del Barrio building that now houses the East Harlem Multi-Service Center, a social-services provider. Known as "The Beacon," the 250-unit building would include 75 homes reserved for formerly homeless households.

But Rodriguez said the city failed to give adequate consideration to the two nonprofits that run the Multi-Service Center — the East Harlem Council for Community Improvement and Operation Fightback — both of which submitted proposals for the new development but were passed over in favor of Ascendant Neighborhood Development and The Community Builders, he says.

The Multi-Service Center would be renovated and expanded as part of the development. Known as "The Beacon," the 250-unit building would include 75 homes reserved for formerly homeless households., abutting the Multi-Service building.

Jeremy House, an HPD spokesperson, told Patch that “East Harlem will benefit from a rich array of resources, services and hundreds of new affordable homes as result of these incredible projects developed with the community’s collaboration.“

Both Rodriguez and Perkins are set to leave office soon: Rodriguez will be appointed Secretary of State by Gov. Kathy Hochul, while Perkins will depart the City Council Jan. 1 after his primary defeat by Kristin Richardson Jordan.

"We acknowledge the need for affordable housing—especially aimed at housing homeless individuals and families," the men wrote. "Our key concern and objection is to the process HPD used whereby they completely failed to partner with local collaborators and members of our community, as there was not enough input garnered from community groups and developers."

Notably absent from the statement, however, was Councilmember Diana Ayala, whose district includes the 120th Street site, and who was recently re-elected to another term. Ayala did not immediately respond to questions about whether she would support either development.

Between the two projects, most new apartments will serve low-income families earning less than $86,000, the city said. The city did not say when construction would begin on either building.

Both projects capitalize on the 2017 East Harlem rezoning, which included the construction of 2,600 affordable homes as one of its main goals. The city selected the chosen developers after soliciting proposals in 2019, following the rezoning.

Since the rezoning, the city has financed more than 7,500 affordable homes in East Harlem — including the enormous Sendero Verde complex, which will contain 700 affordable units.

Related coverage: 600 Affordable Homes, Music & Arts Center Coming To East Harlem