Housing
A low-income senior housing and church development plan headed by Casa de la Fe and Vertical Community Development Group LLC received $1.5 million in funding from the New York City Council. The project is waiting for the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments program and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to approve and finance the project. Once implemented, Casa de la Fe will manage a multifunctional community space equipped with a kitchen, and plans to have programming for youth and seniors, such as classes and meals.
Meanwhile, concerns over poor housing conditions for asylum seekers are continuing to be raised. NPR follows stories of asylum seekers in the City and explores the complexity of worker permits, housing and health, and legal support. At the same time, the good work of Good Shepherd Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, is highlighted, where Pastor Juan Carlos Ruiz holds a basic legal advice session for migrants every Thursday night.
As housing continues to be a pressing issue in New York City, from rents to homelessness to affordable housing, Gothamist will host the Future of Housing event with city officials and leading housing experts, including Comptroller Brad Lander, the NYC Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz, City Planning Commissioner and housing rights attorney Leah Goodridge, and architect and urban planner Vishaan Chakrabarti. You can join the event at Green Space in SoHo at 2pm on Monday, March 20 or stream the event on Greene Space’s YouTube channel.
Historic Preservation
Gov. Kathy Hochul this week announced plans to add 13 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places and a request to move a listed resource to the National Park Service. The list includes a historic synagogue in Manhattan's Upper West Side and a church connected to Yonkers's civil rights history. Being added to the State and National Register listing allows owners to access various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.
B&M Featured in Faith & Leadership
In an article about how congregational leaders can seek resources to repurpose underused buildings, Bricks and Mortals was featured for our work connecting faith leaders to development and property experts in NYC (and for our creative name!). You can read the article to find out how Bricks and Mortals and other organizations are supporting communities of faith throughout the U.S.
