Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Gotham Organization, the Christian Cultural Center (CCC) and Monadnock Development today celebrated two major milestones at Innovative Urban Village, an affordable housing development on CCC's campus in East New York, Brooklyn. Leaders cut the ribbon on the project's first phase, delivering 385 permanently affordable homes, and marked the topping out of the next phase, which will add 453 affordable homes and a child care facility. Together these two phases will bring over 830 affordable homes to East New York. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved more than 12,000 affordable homes in Brooklyn. Innovative Urban Village continues this effort and is part of the Governor's $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

When complete, Innovative Urban Village will bring nearly 2,000 permanently affordable homes across 10 buildings to East New York, as well as child care services, community programming, workforce development, a performing arts center, neighborhood retail and approximately three acres of publicly accessible open space. The development also will also include new streets and pedestrian routes to connect the development to the surrounding community.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, "Every New Yorker deserves a safe, stable and affordable place to call home. Today, 385 homes are opening their doors in East New York, and construction is moving forward on hundreds more. Innovative Urban Village shows what we can accomplish when we build housing alongside the resources families need to thrive. We will keep building on this investment, creating and preserving affordable homes at the scale that New Yorkers need across the five boroughs."

Located on CCC's 10.5-acre campus, the approximately $270 million Phase 1A delivers 385 permanently affordable apartments for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of Area Median Income. Additionally, 94 apartments are reserved for households eligible for on-site support services, including those struggling with homelessness and survivors of domestic violence. Phase 1A also includes approximately 17,000 square feet of community-centric retail and commercial space focused on fresh and prepared foods, healthcare and pharmacy offerings, and dining options. Phase 1B includes an additional 12,600 square feet of community facility space intended for child care, 10,250 square feet of essential community retail and commercial space, as well as a playground.

Designed by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) and SLCE Architects, Phase 1A incorporates all-electric heating and cooling, solar panels, green roofs with drought-resistant vegetation, electric-vehicle charging stations, low-flow fixtures, LED lighting and ENERGY STAR appliances.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "Innovative Urban Village is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together. Today we're not just opening doors to 385 new affordable homes - we're celebrating a community-driven vision becoming reality. With hundreds more homes on the way with resources that people need, this project is delivering affordability, opportunity, and a brighter future for East New York. We're grateful to Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, the Christian Cultural Center, Gotham Organization, Monadnock Development and all of our public and private partners for their shared commitment to making New York more affordable. We look forward to welcoming even more residents home as Innovative Urban Village continues to grow."

Senator Charles Schumer said, "I'm proud that the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, which I worked to protect and expand, will help generate $115 million to build 385 new affordable homes in East New York, Brooklyn. Innovative Urban Village will also include a child care facility and apartments reserved for survivors of domestic violence and individuals who have experienced homelessness, building on the legacy of service that defines this community. I commend Governor Hochul for her commitment to creating and preserving affordable housing across New York, and I thank the Christian Cultural Center family and Pastor Bernard for their partnership in making this development possible on the CCC campus. I will continue fighting for the federal resources needed to make more projects like this a reality."

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, "Every family deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. I applaud the progress at Innovative Urban Village, which will bring much-needed affordable housing units to East New York and help revitalize the Brooklyn community. I will keep fighting to bring more federal resources to New York State to increase our affordable housing supply and ensure all New Yorkers have a safe and supportive place to call home."

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, "When you work hard and play by the rules, you deserve to live an affordable life, a comfortable life and a good life. That means a good-paying job, good healthcare, a good education for your children and good, safe, affordable housing. I'm grateful to Pastor A.R. Bernard, Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and all of their development partners for their work to bring the first phases of the transformative Innovative Urban Village to life so that more Brooklynites can afford to stay in our city and live the good life."

State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud said, "I am thrilled to be part of the official ribbon cutting at the Innovative Urban Village, which upon completion will offer 2000 affordable homes. In a time when New Yorkers are struggling to afford necessities like housing, this campus equipped with supportive services is a huge step forward. Innovative Urban Village is one part of the solution to solve the city's housing crisis, and I am proud to stand beside other elected officials, developers and everyone who made this affordable housing vision a reality in East New York."

Assemblymember Nikki Lucas said, "The Innovative Urban Village represents growth, opportunity, and a significant investment in the future of East New York. Today, we celebrate the completion of 385 permanently affordable apartments, marking an important milestone toward delivering nearly 2,000 affordable homes and apartments to our community. This development will help ensure that families who have built their lives in East New York can continue to live, work, and thrive here. I commend Governor Hochul, my colleagues in government, Reverend A.R. Bernard and the leadership of the Christian Cultural Center for their continued commitment to making this vision a reality."

Gotham Organization President Bryan Kelly said, "Today, we are opening the doors to more than a building; we are delivering the first piece of a community shaped by years of partnership with Reverend Bernard, Christian Cultural Center, and the residents of East New York. Phase 1A demonstrates what is possible when housing, community amenities and programming, and neighborhood resources are planned together. With Phase 1B now topped out, we are also celebrating the momentum behind the next 453 homes and child care facilities that will continue bringing the broader Innovative Urban Village vision to life."

Christian Cultural Center Founder and Senior Pastor Reverend A.R. Bernard said, "Innovative Urban Village grew from a belief that housing should be connected to the full range of resources people and families need to thrive. This ribbon cutting turns that belief into a lived reality for hundreds of New Yorkers. It is a powerful moment for East New York, and an important step toward the inclusive, sustainable community our partners and neighbors have envisioned together."

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said, "Innovative Urban Village is a landmark development that will deliver thousands of new permanently affordable homes to East New York. With investments in community infrastructure including new parks, grocery stores, health care facilities, and culture spaces, Innovative Urban Village is a project that thinks holistically about East New Yorkers and their needs. I am thrilled to mark this milestone, and I thank Governor Hochul and all the partners for helping bring Innovative Urban Village to life."

New York City Councilmember Chris Banks, "The Innovative Urban Village (IUV) represents an important step toward addressing the housing crisis and meeting the needs of families throughout the 42nd Council District. I want to recognize Pastor A.R. Bernard and the Christian Cultural Center for their vision and commitment to bringing this project to our community, along with the team at Monadnock Construction. With housing costs continuing to rise, we need developments that provide working families, seniors, and longtime residents with a meaningful opportunity to remain in the neighborhoods they call home. Projects like IUV demonstrate the importance of creating housing opportunities that support affordability, strengthen communities and help residents build a more secure future. IUV also serves as a model for future housing developments across the district, demonstrating what can be accomplished when government, community leaders, faith-based institutions, and development partners work together toward a shared goal of expanding housing opportunities and addressing the needs of local residents."

Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon said, "Addressing housing affordability requires investment not only in homes, but also in the broader resources that help communities thrive. Innovative Urban Village is a powerful example of how a shared commitment to opportunity can contribute to the long-term growth of East New York. Goldman Sachs is proud to support this transformative development and celebrate this important milestone alongside our partners."

Governor Hochul's Housing Agenda

Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York's housing crisis and making the State more affordable and livable for all New Yorkers. Since FY23, the Governor has worked to increase housing supply to make housing more affordable by launching a $25 billion five-year comprehensive Housing Plan, enacted the most significant housing deal in decades and implemented new protections for renters and homeowners. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, HCR has created new programs that jumpstart development of affordable and mixed-income homes - for both renters and homebuyers. These include the Pro-Housing Community Program, which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. There are currently more than 450 certified Pro-Housing communities throughout the state, including New York City. 

As part of the FY27 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured a number of landmark reforms to New York's State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to speed up housing and infrastructure development and lower costs as part of her "Let Them Build" agenda. "Let Them Build" also includes executive actions to expedite critical categories of projects that have been consistently found to not have significant environmental impacts, but for too long have been caught up in red tape and subject to lengthy delays. 

The FY27 Enacted Budget completes the Governor's current five-year Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 87,000 affordable homes have been created or preserved to date. The FY27 Enacted Budget also invests $250 million in capital funding to accelerate the construction of thousands of new affordable homes.