Mayor de Bill de Blasio continues in his pursuit to fix the city’s ongoing housing crisis. Along with his plans to build 80,000 affordable units over the next ten years, the mayor also wants to create 15,000 units of supportive housing during the next 15 years. To make that happen, he’s announced that the city has awarded 11 organizations contracts to provide 550 supportive apartments scattered throughout the five boroughs.
Organizations that are dedicated to addressing the issues facing New Yorkers in need were among those awarded contracts and include Urban Pathways, Unique People Services, Breaking Ground (formerly known as Common Ground Management), and A Center for Women Living with HIV. Earlier this year, Mayor de Blasio also created the Supportive Housing Task Force earlier this year, whose goal is to find ways to improve the referral process and delivery of services for New York’s homeless population.
“Our goal is to be able to provide permanent housing designed specifically for New Yorkers who don’t need just a place to live, but also support to overcome physical and mental health issues, and other difficult circumstances in their lives,” Mayor de Blasio said in a statement.
The units will be administered by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and procured by the city’s Human Resources Administration. Services will include providing aid to mentally ill individuals and those battling substance abuse. Tenants of the Supportive Housing Initiative will be expected to pay a fixed amount of 30 percent of their income earnings towards rent.
Several of these buildings have either been announced or welcomed tenants recently. In July, the 154-unit Boston Road in the South Bronx welcomed its first residents. In Brownsville, another project is being helmed by SLCE Architects and will feature 80 supportive and affordable units. One of Coney Island’s newest developments will also reserve roughly 80 apartments for homeless veterans.