The Van Dyke III in Brownsville. Image Credit: NYCHA/Leticia Barboza
On November 10, 2021, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced the opening of the Van Dyke III, a new twelve-story supportive and affordable housing development in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. The Van Dyke III, is built on underutilized land at NYCHA’s Van Dyke campus on Dumont Avenue between Mother Gaston Boulevard and Powell Street.
The development will feature 179 affordable housing residential apartments, renovated amenities, a community health clinic, and supportive services provided by CAMBA. The Van Dyke III’s amenities include a computer lab, a fitness room, a tenant lounge, a community room, an accessible roof deck, and a package delivery room. The ground floor outdoor recreational area features a new mural depicting notable Brownsville activists, community leaders, celebrities, and others. The project also included site improvements to the Van Dyke campus, including a newly updated basketball court with artwork painted by residents and other community members. The project will benefit this neighborhood for generations to come. The building also contains ground floor community spaces, including a daycare center operated by Friends of Crown Heights, a community health clinic operated by BMS Family Health and Wellness Center, and a wellness center operated by BMS Family Health and Wellness Center.
The 100-percent affordable housing project is for extremely low and low-income households. Thirty-one of the apartments will be set aside for NYCHA residents, and 54 apartments are reserved for formerly homeless individuals. The project is a part of a greater plan by Mayor de Blasio and NYCHA, to create 300,000 affordable homes in NYC by 2026.
The project was financed through the Extremely Low- and Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) Program. The NYC Housing Development Corporation provided $46.67 million in tax-exempt bonds and $11.7 million in corporate reserves. HPD contributed $23.4 million in City Capital. The project received $39.243 million tax credit equity through low-income housing tax credits. The Brooklyn Borough President’s Office contributed $800,000.
Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been stated, “Van Dyke III shows what is possible when we put underused NYCHA land to work hosting housing and community facilities that support both NYCHA residents and the broader community.”
Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel stated, “The completion of Van Dyke III is a yet another example of what is possible when the public and private sectors work together for community. The provision of 179 permanently affordable and supportive housing units is life-changing for the residents and their families and also beneficial for the entire community. I am very excited about the transformational projects that we have undergone in Brownville and proud that our local residents have received much deserving attention and support. I am grateful to all of the partners that have come together to make this vision a reality.”
By: Taylor Barje (Taylor is the CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2022.)
My family and I have been waiting since May 2021 to move into this complex! Every time we are compliant with the protocol requirements we had to repeatedly over and over the same paperwork as they required before! To make it even worse they don’t take in consideration that the family who are eligible how stressful this situation really is. Since my interview in May 2021 until now I am now on Anxiety pills because of this stress! I appreciate it if someone would at least have the decency to respond back to me.