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We were alarmed to read the city plans to all but eliminate design and architecture review for affordable housing, and to allow affordable housing developers to self-certify, according to a story in Capital New York. Believe it or not, some of the most beautiful new buildings in Brooklyn are found in areas such as Bed Stuy, Ocean Hill, Brownsville, and East New York, and it’s all affordable housing. We’ve long wondered why that is and now we think we know. We point to award-winning buildings such as the Saratoga Community Center at 940 Hancock Street and Camba Gardens in Flatbush, above, designed by Harden + Van Arnam Architects.

So expect affordable housing to start looking like the cheapest schlock imaginable — probably not even as good as the dreck that usually gets built in Williamsburg, probably more like cement-block Fedders buildings.

Also, we’ve seen a lot of abuses of the self-certification process for much smaller scale, private developments. If they are flagrant enough, they are eventually punished (architect Robert Scarano and the overbuilt monstrosity at 1882 East 12th Street in Homecrest by architect Shlomo Wygoda are two examples), but we suspect that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So we’re skeptical this is a good approach to take with affordable housing, where the pressure to cut costs is likely to be even greater and the beneficiaries less able to defend their interests.

We think it’s going to be a great loss for these neighborhoods, not to mention the residents. What do you think the mayor should do?

H.P.D. Plans Major Changes to Jump-Start Affordable Housing Development [Capital NY]
Rendering by Harden + Van Arnam Architects PLLC


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Didn’t anyone look at all the construction defects in buildings data. Look at all the complaints at the Attorney Generals office’s Real Estate Division, then look at all the buildings built by L&M Management, BFC Development and Donald Capoccia and you will see how consumers have been screwed by self certification. Construction defects are an epidemic with HPD, but good luck getting any elected official to address this.

  2. As the architect for CAMBA Gardens mentioned and featured in the photograph, thank you for the compliment on our work. I’d also like to comment on the article and some of the other comments. Unfortunately it appears that the change in HPD review policy will (for now at least) only apply to inclusionary housing, not supportive and affordable housing that my firm specializes in. This change in policy would be very welcome from our perspective. HPD’s cumbersome design review process does not enhance design, it just slows the process down and in some cases results in bad design, not good design. In fact, we had to argue strenuously with HPD’s design review architects that the copper panels we used at CAMBA Gardens would work within the budget — and we often have to fight for facade and unique interior elements that add to the design of our buildings. Beautiful design (interior and exterior) is a key element in all of our buildings and in all of the supportive housing that is built in NYC. That’s because the non-profit developers who are our clients, care about design and know that good buildings contribute to the community and make communities more likely to support these projects. Most importantly, the residents of these buildings (many of whom are formerly homeless) respond positively to good design as well and take pride in their home.

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