HANAC Corona Senior Residence at 54-17 101st Street, Queens. Image Credit: Alexander Severin/HANAC Inc.
The development provides housing and supportive services to formerly homeless seniors. On May 29, 2019, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced the grand opening of HANAC’s $36 million Corona Senior Residence at 54-17 101St Street in Corona, Queens. The newly constructed eight-story housing project is environmentally friendly and comes with 67 affordable studio and one-bedroom residences, 21 of which are for formerly homeless seniors. The building features an early childhood education center on the ground floor administered by the New York City School Construction Authority. The “Passive House” building was designed by Think! Architecture and Design in consultation with the Association for Energy Affordability.
Residents will receive supportive services through a HANAC Corona Social Worker. The supportive services include management and education on prevention of chronic disease and community-building activities to encourage the formation of informal support networks and decrease social isolation. Residents will also have access to medical care coordination and mental health assessments.
The development is one of the largest low-income senior housing developments in the nation to meet Passive House Institute Design Standards, which lower energy consumption by up to 90 percent. The building also meets the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Multifamily Performance Standards on Energy Star Certification and the Enterprise Green Communities Standards.
The housing project is one of the first to receive funding under HPD’s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program. The $36 million project was funded with $14 million in City subsidies, including $9.7 million from HPD’s SARA Program, $3.6 million in Reso A funding from the City Council and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, and $1 million in settlement funds from the New York State Attorney General’s Office. Chase and the New York City Retirement System also provided funding. Enterprise Community Partners syndicated $12.8 million in equity through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
“Affordable housing is critical for our most vulnerable New Yorkers, especially our seniors. I am proud to support an organization that strives to provide community-centered, innovative, energy efficient housing. With a pre-K on the ground floor and additional programs and services, this is precisely the kind of development our borough needs…,” said U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“…The innovative, energy-efficient HANAC Corona Senior Residence will provide seniors not only with new and modern homes, including nearly two dozen set aside for those who are formerly homeless, but also with the on-site supportive services necessary to help them age with grace and dignity,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
“The Corona Senior Residence is a phenomenal example of dynamic planning to meet this city’s greatest needs. Not only does it create truly affordable housing for senior New Yorkers, but it does so in an environmentally responsible way while also addressing the city’s need for more childcare centers. There are few endeavors more worthy of our efforts than confronting the housing crisis, climate change and the next generation of New Yorkers…,” said City Council Member Francisco Moya.
“Under the Mayor’s Housing New York plan, construction of new senior housing has increased to unprecedented levels. Thanks to dedicated partners like HANAC, 67 extremely low-income seniors now have the security of an affordable home in a supportive community. I want to congratulate our development partners and local elected officials for working with us to provide the high-quality affordable housing that our city’s seniors need and deserve,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll.
“HANAC is extremely proud to develop a unique project for low-income seniors with a pre-k facility on the ground floor and to be Passive House Certified. In addition, social services are provided onsite to our tenants to help them age in place in a stable living environment by achieving high energy efficiency standards through Passive House design,” said Paola Duran, Director of Housing Development at HANAC.
By: Viktoriya Gray (Viktoriya is the CityLaw Fellow and New York Law School Graduate, Class of 2018).