ABOUT
GOALS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ONGOING PROJECTS
USEFUL LINKS

About

Members

• Maria Ortiz, Co-Chair
• Joe Restuccia, Co-Chair
• Paul Ames, Public Member
• Patricia Carnevale
• Jessica Chait
• Judith Dahill
• Pete Diaz
• Josephine Ishmon
• Betty Mackintosh
• Sarah Mills
• Delores Rubin
• Katy Stokes
• Martin Treat
• Hector Vazquez
• James Wallace
• Leslie Williams

1) What is the function of this committee?

• The Housing Health and Human Services Committee reviews proposals and monitor the progress of affordable housing commitments made during the Hudson Yards, West Chelsea, and Western Rail Yards rezoning;
• The Committee reviews Low Income Housing Plan Applications as part of the Inclusionary Housing Program;
• The Committee evaluates tenant complaints re: service issues, co-op conversions, and tenant associations;
• Acts as a liaison between the Board and local social service providers, including City agencies;
• Advocating for the needs of children and parents related to education issues.
• Keeps the Board informed about local services, community needs and concerns, uses the Board's resources to help providers gain needed assistance from City agencies, and conducts occasional public forums where the providers can communicate with each other and with agency officials.

2) When and where does this committee meet?

The Committee regularly meets on the third Thursday of each month, beginning at 6:30 PM, at various locations in the District. Consult the calendar and committee agenda for the most up-to-date information.

3) What city or state agencies work with this committee?

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS), NYC Department of Department of City Planning (DCP) Department of Aging, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Human Resource Administration.

In addition the is committee works with all local affordable and special needs housing providers and tenant representative organizations in the area and all health and social service providers in the area.

4) How should a resident address a housing or health concern?

Contact the Community Board Office with details of complaint. Some complaints can be resolved within the office through either the District Manager or Assistant District Manager. If they are unable to resolve the problem directly, it will be referred to the committee. Items will be put on the agenda of the next Housing Health and Human Services committee provided the board was notified more than two weeks in advance of the meeting. This allows time for proper notification of the community.

6) What is the best way to prepare for coming before this committee?

Developers: Bring full information about the project including plans, building details, and evidence of neighborhood outreach.

Tenants and Local Organizations: Frame the problem in a specific way so the committee can understand the nature of the problem and the specific request for assistance.

Questions frequently asked by committee members:
Developers: Total number and size of apartments in the project broken down by market rate and affordable; will the apartments be permanently affordable; will the affordable apartments be distributed evenly on all floors; will the affordable and market rate apartments have the same finishes? will both type of tenants have access to all amenities?

Goals & Accomplishments

Accomplishments 2015

The communities of the middle Westside of Manhattan, Clinton/Hell's Kitchen, Hudson Yards and Chelsea, recognized the need for strategies and mechanisms to achieve the goals of the development or preservation of the maximum possible number of affordable housing units in our district. As such, MCB4 has used its local knowledge, history, and successes to date, to create a blueprint for affordable housing development and preservation in Manhattan Community District 4.
Affordable Housing Plan for Community District 4

Accomplishments 2011

• Reviewed Inclusionary Housing Plans at New Gotham (PS 51 site) and Phase 2 of 770 Eleventh Avenue. The committee worked with developers Gotham and Two Trees, respectively, to improve the proposed plans to include better apartment distribution and apartment finishes to ensure more comprehensive economic integration and unit parity among market rate and affordable housing tenants. Those Inclusionary Housing Plans will produce 317 low income and 432 moderate income permanently affordable apartments.
• Resolved final zoning matters enabling construction of dumpster building at Chelsea NYCHA moderate and middle income development on West 25^th Street & 9^th Avenue. The commitment to build a moderate and middle income development at this NYCHA, a part of the 2005 West Chelsea Rezoning Affordable Housing Commitments, hinged on the resolution of two existing site matters.

The relocation of 16 tenant parking spaces was incorporate in the new development. The second item was the relocation of dumpster storage to an adjacent site. The relocation site to the northwest was adjacent to window from the Chelsea Houses, the Heywood condominium and the new development itself. After prolonged negotiation, NYCHA agreed for the developer to enclose the dumpsters in a one story garage. The approval of the garage building by the Department of Buildings was delayed several times due to technical matters. Finally, approval was delayed resultant from a zoning issue. The Board, after much deliberation, agreed to work with NYCHA and HPD on a limited zoning override to resolve the matter. The dumpster building construction was the last portion of this affordable 168 moderate and middle income development to be built.

• The HHHS Committee co- sponsored the CB4 Seniors Needs Assessment conducted by The Actors Fund/VNSNY advantAge Initiative.  Recruited leadership from over 30 local Health, Housing and Social Service organizations to the Advisory Committee and helped facilitate the participation of over 1200 seniors.

Goals 2017

• Harborview Terrace Community Development Plan, Permanent Affordable Housing & Open Space Improvements
• Continue efforts to implement the affordable housing program related to the development of the Western Rail Yards.
• Continue efforts to develop affordable housing on NYCHA sites including Fulton Houses and Harborview.
• Finalize the transfer of the West 20th Street DOS Site, 136 W. 20th Street, from Department of Sanitation to Department of Housing preservation and Development and initiation of an RFP for permanent medium/middle income units.

On Going Projects

• Western Rail Yard Rezoning Plan- City Council ULURP Actions
• West Chelsea – Improvements at The City Council
• Hudson Yards Affordable Housing Points of Agreement
• 401 West 25th Street Available Rental Units
• Current HPD rental lotteries for all five boroughs
• Current HPD homebuyer lotteries
• Seniors Community Survey Report & Resource Directory for Seniors
  • Click here to view the report. For the directory, click here.

Useful Links

• Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)
• Department of Homeless Services (DHS)
• New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
• Department of City Planning (DCP)
• Department for the Aging (DoA)
• Human Resources Administration (HRA)
• Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOH)