Clarkstown gets First 2 Affordable Housing Projects in NY’s $30M Program

NANUET, NY — The first two affordable housing projects under the State’s $30 million Small Project Affordable Rental Construction program will go up in Rockland County.

With a total of 40 apartments, Clarkstown Seniors Phases I & II will offer affordable housing to low-income seniors aged 55 and older.

"These developments will provide housing and resources to seniors in need, as well as help strengthen the community and make it more resilient," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in Thursday's announcement. "This is one more step toward ensuring all New Yorkers have a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home."

The governor launched the program to provide housing and economic opportunity for low- to moderate-income New Yorkers in communities affected by Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

To be located across the parking lot from the Hyenga Lake Senior housing development in Nanuet, Clarkstown Seniors Phases I & II are the first two projects to be funded by the Small Project Affordable Rental Construction program.

Each of the new two three-story buildings will have with 20 apartments, most of which are intended for low-income seniors. Additionally, four units in each building will be set aside as supportive housing for clients sponsored by the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

“A major challenge for suburban communities is housing affordability for seniors on a fixed income," Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski said. "These units will help alleviate our waiting lists and I thank Governor Cuomo and NYS Homes and Community Renewal for recognizing the challenge and making the investment.”

The Small Project Affordable Rental Construction program finances small rental projects to replace or supplement the affordable housing stock that was damaged by, or identified as vulnerable to, flooding from storm events. At least 51 percent of new rental units created at each property will be designated for residents earning below 80 percent of Area Median Income.

Developments were chosen through a competitive Request for Proposals process. The Small Project Affordable Rental Construction program was launched with $20 million in September 2015, funded by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery out of its $4.4 billion federal allotment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program. NYS Homes and Community Renewal oversees the program, and the nonprofit Community Preservation Corporation administers the funding.

The response to the RFP resulted in a pipeline of developments that committed the entire allocation of funding. Due to demand for the program, New York State Homes and Community Renewal approved an additional $10 million, raising the program’s total funding to $30 million. The additional funding has also been entirely allocated.

"These 40 apartments in Clarkstown will make a lasting difference for the town by replacing what two natural disasters uprooted" NYS Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner James S. Rubin said. "SPARC has generated the enthusiastic response we hoped for – all of the first $20 million was committed quickly and given the quality of the responses it was a natural decision for the HCR Housing Trust Fund Board to add an additional $10 million to supplement the program.”

Larry Regan, President of Regan Development Corp, and Keith Libolt, President of Affordable Housing Concepts, said they were proud to have partnered with the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery as well as NYSHCR, OPWDD and CPC to provide new affordable rental units to Rockland County seniors, as well as persons with developmental disabilities in areas that were impacted by hurricanes Irene and Sandy

The projects will be funded with $3.75 million in SPARC Program CDBG-Disaster Recovery funds, and $723,000 in OPWDD capital funds. For each phase, CPC will provide a $6.36 million construction loan and SONYMA-insured $2 million permanent loan funded through the NYS Common Retirement Fund. OPWDD will also provide rent subsidies and capital funds, and supportive services for the supportive housing units. NYSERDA will provide $50,000 in rebates through its Low-Rise Residential New Construction Program.