Governor Hochul Announces Completion of $54 Million Supportive Housing Development on Manhattan's Lower East Side

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the official opening of Freedom Village, a $54 million affordable housing development on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The new 13-story building provides 74 state-of-the-art apartments for survivors of domestic violence and older adults struggling with homelessness, along with on-site services and accessibility features designed to help all residents live independently. Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has created or preserved nearly 7,500 affordable homes in Manhattan. Freedom Village continues this effort and is part of Governor Hochul's $25 billion Housing Plan which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

"Everyone deserves a safe, affordable home and the freedom to live independently with dignity," Governor Hochul said."Freedom Village delivers on that promise and reflects my administration's commitment to expanding the supply of housing with support services and accessibility features that enable people to move forward with confidence and rebuild their lives. We will continue investing in projects like Freedom Village that create a stronger, more inclusive, and more affordable New York."

Located at 270 East 2nd Street, Freedom Village replaces a deteriorated former school building that had served as transitional housing for three decades. Developed by Barrier Free Living, the new building returns the organization to the site where it was originally founded in 1981 and significantly expands the availability of permanent supportive housing on the Lower East Side.

Apartments are affordable to households earning at or below 30 percent of the Area Median Income and all residents are eligible to receive on-site supportive services from Barrier Free Living, including case management, health-related support services, and connections to community-based resources tailored to their individual needs. Operating funding for all of the units is provided through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

Freedom Village was designed with accessibility, safety and independence features at its core. All apartments are fully-accessible for residents with disabilities, and six apartments include additional accommodations for residents with hearing or vision disabilities. The building features extra-wide hallways and elevators, allowing wheelchair users to navigate comfortably throughout the property.

The development also includes community and program space, offices for supportive service staff, and an outdoor recreation terrace on the roof of the second-floor community service space that includes a tenant-run rooftop garden.

Freedom Village was designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities standards, incorporating electric-powered heating and cooling systems, energy-efficient building materials, and sustainable design features.

Freedom Village is supported by HCR's Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, which generated $21.7 million in equity and $5.2 million in subsidy. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance provided $7.2 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development provided $15.3 million.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, "Governor Hochul's housing agenda is focused on delivering the homes that people deserve - affordable options with features that allow people to live safely and independently in the community of their choice. Freedom Village embodies that mission by providing 74 high-quality homes and services for survivors of domestic violence and older adults experiencing homelessness, while expanding access to fully accessible housing in New York City. We thank Barrier Free Living and all of our partners for their commitment to creating a safer, more inclusive future for vulnerable New Yorkers."

New York State Chief Disability Officer Kimberly Ridley said, "True independence begins with a home that works for you, not against you. Freedom Village sets a beautiful new standard for how we integrate universal accessibility into affordable housing. By incorporating everything from extra-wide hallways to specialized sensory accommodations, this development ensures that New Yorkers with disabilities can live safely, autonomously, and with the utmost dignity. I applaud Governor Hochul and Barrier Free Living for their dedication to building a more inclusive and accessible New York."

New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, "The completion of Freedom Village provides survivors of domestic violence and frail elderly adults who have experienced homelessness with critically-needed safe, fully accessible apartments with direct access to essential support services they need to remain housed and live safely. We are grateful to Barrier Free Living and all our partners on this vital project and to Governor Hochul for making landmark investments to expand permanent supportive housing options across New York State and for her steadfast support and compassion for New Yorkers impacted by domestic violence."

New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Nicholas Owens said, "Every survivor deserves the opportunity to rebuild their life in safety, dignity, and stability. Freedom Village represents more than affordable housing. It is a foundation for healing, hope, and new beginnings. This development reflects New York's commitment to ensuring survivors have the support they need not only to escape abuse, but to thrive. We are proud to celebrate the opening of Freedom Village and the brighter future it will help create for individuals and families."

Senator Brian Kavanagh said, "Freedom Village is exactly what New York should be building more of - deeply affordable homes paired with the on-site services that help people with the greatest needs live independently and with dignity. This development returns Barrier Free Living to the Lower East Side site where they were founded over four decades ago, and it's a testament to their enduring commitment to New Yorkers with disabilities and survivors of domestic violence. I'm proud of the work we have done at the state level to support and fund critical supportive housing, service provision, and homelessness prevention programs, and I thank Governor Kathy Hochul and HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas for their continued commitment to expanding housing opportunities for all New Yorkers."

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, "Every New Yorker deserves a safe, stable place to call home, and that's especially true for survivors of domestic violence and older adults who have experienced homelessness. Freedom Village is exactly the kind of supportive housing we need more of in Manhattan: fully accessible, deeply affordable, and designed to help people not just find housing, but rebuild their lives. As our city continues to face a housing affordability crisis, investments like this are essential to creating a more equitable Manhattan. I'm grateful to Governor Hochul, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development for making this project possible and for their continued commitment to expanding supportive housing across our borough."

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. More than 420 communities throughout the state have been certified Pro-Housing, including New York City.

Governor Hochul's "Let Them Build" agenda will speed up housing and infrastructure development while lowering costs through a series of landmark reforms. Common-sense changes to New York's Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in the FY 2027 Enacted Budget as well as executive actions will 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 enacted FY27 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 81,000 affordable homes have been created or preserved to date. The Budget also invests $250 million in capital funding to accelerate the construction of thousands of new affordable homes. The enacted FY27 budget also further reinforces critical protections for tenants and homeowners.