4 LI developments to receive portion of $875M state funding for affordable housing

Four affordable housing developments on Long Island were among almost  30 across New York to receive government financing to help mitigate the state’s housing shortage.

The Grove in Patchogue, Alegria North in Wyandanch, and Carman Place and Estella Housing — both in the Village of Hempstead, were some of the 27 projects to receive $875 million through bonds, tax credits and subsidies. In turn, the funds will help to preserve 3,100 affordable, sustainable, and supportive homes in the developments, according to a Thursday statement from Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office.

State officials hope the projects can provide housing while addressing other concerns. For instance, all the buildings will feature free broadband service to residents, helping to close the digital divide.

“These innovative developments are central to our strategic efforts to increase the supply of housing and create a more affordable, more livable New York for all,” Hochul said in the statement.

The projects are part of Hochul’s plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 homes with support services for vulnerable populations, the statement said.  

Earlier this year, Hochul pushed in budget negotiations to create 800,000 housing units over the next decade. She later pulled the plan after some lawmakers expressed concern over a portion of it that would create a state board that could override local zoning.

More on the four Long Island projects

On Long Island, the four projects range from those that are transit-oriented development to others providing supportive services like setting aside units for domestic violence survivors.

• In Hempstead, Estella Housing benefits from $35 million bond financing for a project costing nearly $72 million. The four-story building is energy efficient and includes 42 supportive units. Concern for Independent Living is the developer for the project.
• The Grove is a $34 million, 55-unit, new construction, supportive housing development in Patchogue. Replacing a dilapidated commercial building, the project will create three buildings. Seventeen units will be allocated for supportive housing, including units for domestic violence survivors. The ground floor will have features such as a lounge, along with recreational and commercial retail space, the state said. The Grove received funding from several sources, including more than $1.5 million in tax credits, according to the state.
• Carman Place Apartments is a 228-unit walkable development in Hempstead that’ll include commercial space, the state said. Carman Place will cost $155 million and receive nearly $79 million in bond financing. Conifer Realty and Community Development Corporation of Long Island are the developers for the project.
• Alegria North is an 81-unit project in Wyandanch. A commercial building will be demolished to create the four-story building near the Long Island Rail Road, the state said. People with disabilities will be allotted 21 apartments. Nine apartments will be designated for people who were impacted by the justice system. Funding for the project includes more than $2 million in tax credits, along with money from Suffolk County. D & F Development Group is the developer for the project.

Peter Florey, principal of D & F Development Group, said they hope to break ground on the Alegria North project in the fall. When it is completed, the project will have rents including $1,300 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,300 for a three-bedroom unit. 

This is another project, he said, that is “going to start to fill out what is a great need.”

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.