Press

Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the groundbreaking on a $189 million affordable housing development in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx. Starhill Phase I will feature 326 affordable apartments, including 200 homes with supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness.

“This development will provide safe, stable homes for more than 300 residents of The Bronx and offer critical resources and amenities to support the Morris Heights neighborhood in the long term,” Governor Hochul said. “As the national affordability crisis drives rent and other costs to new highs, my administration is tackling the crisis head-on with a $25 billion plan to deliver high-quality affordable and supportive housing that will help to stabilize and improve New Yorkers’ lives. I thank Mayor Adams, the City Council, and other stakeholders for their partnership on this project, and look forward to their continued engagement in strengthening New York communities.”

“Safe, stable, and affordable housing is fundamental to a prosperous, inclusive city, and we are ensuring no New Yorker is left behind when it comes to having a roof over their heads,” said Mayor Adams. “Our administration has a plan to kickstart the creation of supportive homes for New Yorkers who need them most, and we are moving full speed ahead. We are working with closely with Governor Hochul to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New Yorkers and make our city stronger and fairer.”

Starhill Phase I is part of Governor Hochul’s sweeping plans to make housing more affordable, equitable, and stable. The Governor has introduced and successfully secured, in the FY2023 Enacted Budget, 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.

Starhill Phase I will consist of a 14-story multifamily building and a connected one-story amenity building. The two-acre site had been occupied by a former hospital being used as a residential treatment center, which has since been demolished. The mixed-use development was made possible through the 2018 Jerome Corridor Rezoning.

The new building will include 200 apartments reserved for adults experiencing homelessness, including those with a substance use disorder or co-occurring disorder. These residents will have access to on-site supportive services and rental subsidies funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports.

Services will include individual case management, family counseling, job readiness training, and financial literacy workshops. These services will be voluntary and individualized to each tenant’s needs while promoting independent living skills and maintaining stable tenancy. The service provider is Services for the UnderServed (S:US).

The remaining apartments will be reserved for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income or less. There will be one apartment for an on-site superintendent.

Residential amenities will include a rear yard and a passive recreation area on the second-floor terrace. Interior amenities will include on-site social services, a fitness room, on-site laundry, a children’s playroom, a computer room, and free internet access available in each unit. In addition, there will be 24-hour security located at the entrance.

Starhill Phase I is conveniently located in the Morris Heights residential neighborhood in the Bronx with access to local amenities such as medical, education and public services. There are 10 MTA bus lines with stops near the development site as well as the 4, B and D trains. The developers for Starhill Phase I are Bronx Pro and S:US.

State financing for Starhill Phase I includes $20.6 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Tax Credits that will generate $80.5 million in equity and $31.5 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development is providing $31.5 million through the Supportive Housing Loan Program. The New York City Council is providing $1 million.

Starhill Phase II is expected to include approximately 244 additional affordable and supportive apartments.

Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “With 326 apartments, including 200 with supportive services, Starhill Phase I is the latest example of our ongoing efforts to expand the supply of quality affordable housing across the Bronx. By offering free internet, excellent amenities and access to social services for those who need them, Starhill Phase I will yield a brighter and healthier future for the individuals and families who will soon live here. Congratulations to Bronx Pro and Services for the UnderServed for their partnership and vision in bringing this transformative development to fruition in Morris Heights.”

OASAS Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said, “The Governor’s Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative will serve the most vulnerable populations across the state. This initiative is important to the continuum of services OASAS offers and enables us to support individuals improve their health. The first phase of this development in the Bronx will meet the needs of at-risk New Yorkers, including those with substance use disorders. We are proud to be part of this important effort.”

New York City Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz said, “Housing New Yorkers is the most important step to help people who have struggled with homelessness, mental health, or substance use rebuild their lives. Starhill will soon welcome home hundreds of New Yorkers, creating a new community in Morris Heights. “As part of our citywide housing strategy, ‘Housing Our Neighbors,’ we are committed to creating affordable, high-quality homes. I am proud to celebrate with BronxPro and Services for the Underserved on this exciting new project.”

HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. said, “Starhill is a shining example of what this administration is working to achieve for our most vulnerable New Yorkers — safe, supportive, and affordable housing paired with services and amenities that help residents thrive. Once complete, Starhill will be our largest newly constructed supportive housing project to date, providing 326 affordable homes, 200 of which are supportive homes reserved for those experiencing homelessness. This is no small feat, and we celebrate this important milestone on the path to moving as many New Yorkers into housing as quickly as possible.”

Representative Ritchie Torres said, “As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic it is abundantly clear we need more than a temporary solution to the housing crisis in New York City.  I am encouraged by the steps taken by the Governor and Mayor to develop housing that will support homeless and low-income families in my district.”

State Senator José M. Serrano said, “The new Starhill affordable housing development will help address the current housing crisis many are facing in the Bronx and across the city, while also providing residents with free internet, case management, family counseling, job readiness training, and financial literacy workshops. Many thanks to NYS HCR, Governor Hochul, and Mayor Adams for their efforts in making this 326-unit affordable housing opportunity possible.”

Assemblymember Latoya Joyner said, “Enhancing access to affordable housing for Bronx families, Starhill Phase I is a much welcomed investment in the future of Morris Heights. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul to build upon the commitment that is embodied by today’s announcement and I am proud to be her partner as we seek to address the affordable housing crisis our families face.”

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “I am pleased to see this development coming together that will bring affordable and supportive housing that is in close proximity to transportation here in the Morris Heights neighborhood. The need for safe and permanent housing is at an all-time high and projects like these are essential in our fight to combat housing insecurity in our borough. I would like to thank the New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Bronx Pro and the New York City Council for this major investment in our community.”

New York City Council Member Pierina Sanchez said, “In the midst of our city’s affordable housing crisis and given the rising rates of rent and eviction within District 14, I am glad City dollars will fund the construction of the new affordable housing development in Morris Heights. Starhill Phase I’s $189 million development will build 326 affordable housing units, including 200 with onsite social services for our neighbors experiencing homelessness—this investment is a testament to the City’s commitment to funding our most vulnerable New Yorkers. The residents of this development will benefit from onsite services and amenities, convenient transportation options, as well as essential utilities such as free internet access. Housing insecurity is one of the greatest issues that impacts my constituents, and the construction of this development will be of crucial support to District 14 residents, including our homeless community members.”

S:US President & CEO Jorge R. Petit, MD, said, “Home is more than a roof. Home is stability, safety, community, and a sense of belonging. Starhill will bring hope, possibility and opportunity to New Yorkers who have experienced homelessness, poverty, addiction and mental health challenges. As an organization advancing social justice, S:US is proud to serve and support New Yorkers to get the home they deserve. And we’re honored to stand with our partners to champion affordable and supportive housing in the Bronx.”

Bronx Pro CEO Samantha Magistro said, “Bronx Pro is excited to be part of the next chapter and reinvention of the Starhill campus. Starhill Phase 1 honors the site’s history of medical and mental health care, while responding to the present-day need for affordable housing and new open space in Morris Heights. We look forward to building this new residence together with S:US, New York City and New York State, our lenders and our community stakeholders.”

Baaba Halm, Vice President and New York market leader at Enterprise Community Partners, said, “With the lasting economic effects of the pandemic on top of the existing housing crisis in our city, increasing our supply of affordable homes, particularly ones with supportive services, has never been more important. We are proud to work with our longtime partners, Bronx Pro Group, Services for the UnderServed, and others, in bringing crucial affordable and supportive housing to the Bronx.”

Jane Silverman, Executive Director of Community Development Banking for Chase, said, “We’re proud to work with Bronx Pro Group and Services for the UnderServed on this transformational development, that will make a difference for formerly homeless individuals and the surrounding community. We remain committed to working with local organizations in New York to create safe and quality places to live.”

Read the original press release here.