WEST VILLAGE, Manhattan (PIX11) — A new affordable housing complex will be developed in Manhattan’s West Village, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development announced Wednesday.
The HPD said it is seeking community input on the development, which will be located at 388 Hudson St.
“[This new development] offers New York City a rare opportunity to build affordable housing in the heart of downtown Manhattan,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “Every neighborhood must be part of the solution to our housing crisis, and we look forward to working with the community to deliver the best possible outcome for this neighborhood and the city as a whole.”
The affordable housing complex will be a city-owned site on more than 13,000 square feet of land. The housing site sits next to a school building and is across the street from a public park and a slew of commercial office buildings. The surrounding area is amenity-rich, filled with restaurants, grocery stores, and other retail spaces.
HPD said the development of city-owned land for affordable housing is initiated through a competitive process that asks developers to respond to a set of goals and guidelines for the site and community priorities. The community engagement process is crucial, as it helps finalize what the outlook of the building will be, according to HPD.
The city strongly suggested that all members of the community comment on the planned affordable housing site.
“I encourage the community to get involved and share their vision for the site,” said New York Council Member Erik Bottcher, who serves the area. “Developments like this are essential to addressing the affordable housing crisis that is threatening the very ability of New York City’s working class to remain here. I look forward to working with HPD and Community Board 2 to ensure this project is a success.”
The West Village and surrounding neighborhood of SoHo have some of the highest rents in all of New York. The posh neighborhood enjoys the lowest levels of poverty with only a small percentage of residents reporting living below the Federal Poverty Level, according to a study done by The City of New York.
