The city is on the verge of rezoning East New York, and with that rezoning comes the implied promise of gentrification and exploding prices, and the explicit-but-who-knows-if-it-will-really-happen promise of lots more newly developed affordable housing. (UPDATE: The East New York rezoning plan, according to the Department of City Planning, actually includes both preserving existing affordable units and making building new ones mandatory.) When it's optional, affordable housing is often promised by developers and then neglected when push comes to shove. But Mayor de Blasio is committed enough to the cause that some, such as super-luxury architect Robert A.M. Stern, are worried that so much of it will be built as to turn East New York into "the re-creation of a kind of large-scale poor district." This doesn't seem incredibly likely.
Affordable housing seekers in Brooklyn may not have to wait for the rezoning, though, because the lottery just opened for 223 affordable units in four new buildings at 481 Williams Avenue, 491 Sheffield Avenue, 494 Georgia Avenue, and 494 Sheffield Avenue.
The apartment start at $500/month for a studio (for a person making between $18,515 and $24,200 per year) and $538/month for a one-bedroom (for one person making between $19,852 and $24,200 or a couple making between $19,852 - $27,640). The most expensive units are three-bedrooms that will go for $1,196/month to between three and six people making between $42,892 and $60,120. 50 percent of the units will be set aside for residents of Brooklyn Community District 5 and 5 percent will be reserved for municipal employees.
· Affordable Housing for Rent: 223 Newly Constructed Units [Housing Connect (warning; PDF!)]
· Get a $500/month studio in East New York without selling your organs! [Brokelyn]
· East New York Rezoning coverage [Curbed]
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