123 affordable and supportive housing units to be fully leased in the Big Apple Brownsfield Award-winning residence.
New York, NY— The Doe Fund announced that it recently began lease-up activities at its newest housing development located at 1355 Rogers Avenue in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. Crystal Tower, the recipient of a 2020 New York City Brownfield Partnership Award, is an affordable and supportive building that will provide desperately needed housing to several community populations. The entire building will be qualified for 30 years as low-income and only residents with Area Median Income (“AMI”) of less than 60% will be eligible.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Doe Fund’s Property Management Team implemented a strict protocol that limits the number of residents moving in on a daily and weekly basis. During allotted times, the residents are encouraged to use newly ordered COVID-19 kits that provides masks, gloves, disinfectant, and wipes. The team has been vigilant to take protective measures recommended by public health officials to prevent the spread of COVID-19, knowing that many individuals with COVID-19 show no symptoms and have no awareness of exposure to the virus.
Crystal Tower, conceived by Delacour Ferrara and Church Architects, consists of 123 apartments including a non-income restricted two-bedroom unit for a superintendent. The mix is a thoughtful curation of 70 studios, 22 one-bedrooms, 22 two-bedrooms and 8 three-bedroom units. Crystal Tower received Section 8 project vouchers from the New York City Housing Authority, (“NYCHA”) for 115 units; 41 of these units will be referred from NYCHA’s wait list, 74 units will be set-aside for formerly homeless tenants referred to the project through the New York City Human Resources Administration. (“HRA”) The remaining units will be eligible for community residents through a lottery conducted by The Doe Fund via NYC’s Housing Connect.
Each apartment has a private bathroom and an energy-efficient kitchen. There is an onsite laundry area, private offices for program staff and resident meetings, a multipurpose community room, monthly available parking spaces, a bike room and landscaped outdoor recreational space. In order to ensure the safety of residents, the building will be professionally staffed with front desk security 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
With the goal of offering not only safe and affordable housing, The Doe Fund will provide a wide range of on-site supportive services via an experienced and professionally designated Social Services Team (Program Director, Clinical Supervisor and Case Manager) that will utilize comprehensive assessments regarding a resident’s physical and mental health needs.
The Doe Fund Founder and President, George McDonald, says, “There could be no better time to extend a safe, state-of-the art home with comprehensive social services to Brooklyn residents as we confront the COVID-19 crisis. The Doe Fund’s portfolio of permanent housing represents a continuum of care that ensures that the most vulnerable New Yorkers leave homelessness or insecurity behind forever and become part of the fabric of a thriving community.”
“We’re proud to help support the development of Crystal Tower, which will bring needed affordable and supportive housing to Brooklyn area residents,” said Marcus Randolph, Vice President, Community Development Banking, Chase. “Led by The Doe Fund’s bold vision and our shared commitment to help meet affordable housing needs, we’re excited to see the impact of this project on the local community.”
Kevin Johnson, the local Brooklyn based managing partner of Crystal Manor, LLC and co-developer of Crystal Tower, said, “Reaching a major milestone like this can only be achieved through incredible teamwork. On behalf of Crystal Ball LLC, I am honored to work alongside some of the best in the business, and want to publicly acknowledge the dedication and commitment of our Joint Venture Partners, The Doe Fund, and thank in particular my family, HPD, HDC, HHAP, Borough President Eric Adams, Former Council Member Jumanne Williams, JP Morgan Chase, Raymond James and NYCHA, for their extraordinary efforts over the past few years to make Crystal Tower a reality.