Huge East Harlem Affordable Housing Development Gets City Council Approval

EAST HARLEM, NY — The City Council has approved land use and rezoning applications for a proposed 15-story, 400-unit development that will take up nearly a full block of real estate in the southern end of East Harlem.

The Lexington Gardens II project will span a massive 411,725 square feet on East 107th street and all of its 400 units will be offered at affordable rates. But when it comes to building affordable housing in New York City the question always remains — affordable for who?

The Lexington Gardens II development will offer its units at four different levels of affordability, Politico reported, which means that while some units will be affordable for neighborhood residents many units will actually be more expensive than current East Harlem market rents.

Eighty of the building's apartments will be offered at 30 percent of the area median income (AMI), which is $24,480 for a family of three. Another 120 apartment will be offered at 50 percent AMI, or $40,800 for a family of three. The third level of affordability will include 120 apartments offered at 80 percent AMI, or $65,280 for a family of three. The remaining 80 apartments will be offered at 130 percent AMI, which is $106,080 for a family of three, reported Politico.

Existing neighborhood residents will be able to afford many of the discounted apartments, but there's no denying that many high-income residents will move into the neighborhood to snag the more expensive units in the building.

The final levels of affordability have been altered since they were presented to Community Board 11 in July. In that community meeting 195 apartments were planned to be offered at 50 percent AMI, 117 apartments were to be offered at 80 percent AMI and 78 were to be offered at 130 percent AMI.

The building's units will be parceled out through the city's affordable housing lottery, but there's no indication when applications will begin, New York YIMBY reported. The building's eventual tenants will also have access to amenities such as laundry, a fitness center and rooftop terraces, according to a CB 11 presentation.

Renderings courtesy of Community Board 11 Presentation/Curtis + Ginsberg Architects