From Dangerous Disrepair to Safe, Affordable Homes: Hell’s Kitchen Buildings Transformed for New Yorkers
Duane Neil, resident; Max Ryan, resident; Kim Darga, VP and Market Leader, New York, Enterprise Community Partners; Ahmed Tigani, Commissioner, NYC Department of Buildings; Perry Perlmutter, CEO, Services for the UnderServed; Patrick Love, Deputy Commissioner for Development, NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development; Arlo Chase, Senior VP Real Estate, Services for the UnderServed; Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Manhattan Borough President; Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning; Tony Simone, Assembly Member; Scott French, Commissioner, NYC Department of Social Services/HRA Administrator; David Stuart, President, HK45/46; Juan Barahona, Founder, SMJ Development.
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For Immediate Release: October 28, 2026
Media Contact: [email protected]
HPD, HRA, Services for the UnderServed and development partners transform four severely deteriorated buildings at West 45th Street into 80 deeply affordable apartments for New Yorkers.
NEW YORK — Crumbling ceilings and walls. Unreliable heat and electricity. An environment no New Yorker should have to call home. Today, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Human Resources Administration (HRA), Services for the UnderServed, Highpoint Property Group, and SMJ Development celebrated the transformation of 351–357 West 45th Street with a housewarming of the 80 safe, renovated and deeply affordable apartments for New Yorkers transitioning from shelter, with affordable housing services available in the buildings.
For years, the buildings had accumulated hundreds of housing violations and were plagued by deteriorating conditions, including mold, pest infestations, and failures to provide heat and hot water. The City had filed 24 lawsuits against the previous management and invested significant resources in emergency repairs to address neglected conditions. Services for the UnderServed acquired the buildings alongside Highpoint Property Group and SMJ Development in June 2024 for $24 million through a loan from HPD and Enterprise Community Partners, and following a $54 million renovation, the properties will offer safe, quality homes, including 70 apartments for New Yorkers transitioning out of the city’s shelter system. The remaining 10 apartments are occupied by existing tenants who chose to remain in their homes throughout the renovation process. Residents will also have access to ongoing support from Services for the UnderServed to help them build stable, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
“Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and the opportunity to build a better future,” said Perry Perlmutter, President and CEO of Services for the UnderServed. “These buildings were neglected for years, but today, they represent a new beginning for the people who will call them home. By working together with our city and development partners, we’re preserving much-needed affordable housing and creating a pathway from shelter to stability for New Yorkers who need it most. This is what we can accomplish when we invest in our communities and the people who live in them.”
The redevelopment includes major improvements to the buildings’ infrastructure, including replacement of roofs and structural beams, upgrades to electric heating systems, and installation of modern ventilation. The buildings’ lower-level spaces have been connected to create shared offices and an exercise room, providing residents with access to on-site wellness and employment resources.
Through partnerships with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA), Services for the UnderServed will lease 70 of the development’s 80 apartments for New Yorkers currently living in Department of Homeless Services shelters. The organization will continue supporting residents through its Affordable Housing Services, helping individuals and families build healthy, stable, and connected lives.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said: “Manhattan is facing an unprecedented housing affordability crisis. Thanks to the transformative work of Services for the Underserved, four crumbling apartment buildings which previously subjected tenants to abhorrent conditions have been converted into 80 deeply affordable apartments for New Yorkers. I’m grateful to Council Member Carl Wilson, HPD, HRA, Services for the UnderServed, Highpoint Property Group, and SMJ Development for their leadership in converting this unsightly Hell’s Kitchen block into a model of affordable housing development for our city.”
“SMJ Development is proud to have partnered with Highpoint Property Group and Services for the Underserved to redevelop 351-357 West 45th Street. At SMJ we are singularly focused on expanding affordable housing opportunities to every neighborhood in New York. The effort at West 45th Street started with NYC HPD and NYC DSS in 2023 and we’re happy to welcome 70 new households to their new homes and 10 existing households to substantially renovated ones today in 2026. With the crossroads of the world in their backyard, we look forward to seeing all the great achievements to come for the families at the buildings.” – Juan Barahona, Principal, SMJ Development.
“The West 45th Street exemplifies what is possible when housing policy and resources are deployed effectively in partnership with mission-driven organizations. The property will provide New Yorkers with access to affordable housing in the heart of Manhattan and transform buildings that were nearly uninhabitable into homes that current and future residents can be proud to call home,” said Kim Darga, vice president and New York market leader at Enterprise Community Partners. “Enterprise is pleased to have supported SMJ Development, HighPoint, and Services for the UnderServed in renovating these 80 homes and creating more housing opportunities for low income New Yorkers and households exiting shelter. The New York City Acquisition Fund, in its 20th anniversary year, continues to provide accessible capital to mission-driven partners to build and preserve the housing, like at West 45th Street, that we need to make New York a more affordable city for all.”
“351-357 West 45th Street went from four largely vacant, highly distressed buildings to beautiful, renovated, affordable homes in the heart of Manhattan, including permanent homes for New Yorkers who have experienced homelessness. Rather than losing these buildings, we preserved them, and the tenants already living here were able to stay in place through the renovation. The rehabilitation also fully electrified these buildings, bringing cleaner, more energy-efficient systems to residents’ homes. Preservation is one of the fastest and most effective tools we have to create affordable housing, and this project shows how restoring existing buildings in high-cost neighborhoods can deliver lasting affordable and supportive housing for the communities that need it. We’re proud to have partnered with HPD, HRA, DHS, Services for the UnderServed and SMJ Development,” said Kevin Zhao, Highpoint Property Group.
The project is supported by a 35-year contract with HRA and a 40-year regulatory agreement with HPD, helping preserve the properties as a long-term affordable housing resource.
For more information, please visit sus.org.
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About Services for the UnderServed (S:US):
S:US helps vulnerable New Yorkers build stable, healthy, and fulfilling lives, starting with a safe place to call home. Through homelessness prevention, affordable and supportive housing, and services that promote health, independence, and community, S:US creates pathways to lasting stability. Even as it serves tens of thousands annually, S:US meets each person with dedicated support shaped around their own path and goals. Their efforts are supported by various local, state, and federal government entities, foundations, corporations, and individual donors.
