Brownsville Affordable Housing Lottery Opens With Units Starting at $1,095

An affordable housing lottery has debuted for 85 apartments in a 100 percent affordable development spanning a block of East New York Avenue in Brownsville.

The studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at 326 Rockaway Avenue are aimed at households earning between 50 percent and 60 percent of Area Median Income, a truly affordable range compared to many of the units offered in the city’s housing lottery system. The level of affordability is due to a private and nonprofit development partnership making use of a city program that funds housing construction for very low income families.

Eligible incomes range from $37,543 to $115,560 for households of one to seven people, and rents vary from $1,095 to $2,301 a month depending on unit size and income level, according to the NYC Housing Connect listing.

Included are three studio apartments at $1,095 a month, 54 one-bedrooms from $1,368 to $1,660 a month, 20 two-bedrooms from $1,642 to $1,992 a month, and eight three-bedrooms from $1,897 to $2,301 a month.

The lottery site says there is a preference for residents of Brooklyn Community Board 16 and city employees. Five percent of units are set aside for people with mobility issues and 2 percent for people with vision or hearing issues.

The under construction 14-story building will be known as 326 Rockaway Avenue Apartments and will have 216 units. The 130 units not included in the affordable housing lottery will be set aside for formerly homeless residents referred through city agencies, according to the listing.

Designed by Aufgang Architects, the building is finished in orange brick and gray panels. The development towers over relatively narrow East New York Avenue between Rockaway Avenue and Chester Street. There is a setback at the 10th floor, and along Chester Street the rear of the building rises only four stories. The structure will include commercial and community space, according to the building permit.

The building is designed to meet Passive House standards, is fully electric, and has rooftop solar panels. All utilities are included in the rent, and the amenities are free, according to the listing. The latter include a gym, yoga room, children’s playroom, reading room, landscaped outdoor recreation spaces, a laundry room, and bike storage lockers. The building is smoke free.

The complex is being developed by nonprofit affordable housing provider Riseboro and developer Slate Property Group.

It is part of HPD’s Extremely Low and Low-Income Affordability Program, also known as ELLA, which mandates that apartments be affordable to households earning no more than 80 percent of Area Median Income. It also uses HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program.

The site previously contained single-story brick industrial buildings and a three-story mixed-used brick building along Rockaway and East New York avenues, both of which housed Colonial Electric Supplies. The rest of the property was taken up by parking.

In 2019, the owners sold the property to an LLC managed by Slate and Riseboro for $8.4 million, city records show. Demolition permits for the buildings were signed off in January and February 2023.

The lottery for 326 Rockaway Avenue Apartments closes on May 5. To apply, visit the listing on Housing Connect.

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