It’s rare when the city, community, and developers can come together to throw their support behind a project, but such is the case so far with Carmen Villegas Apartments–a proposed LGBTQ+ senior housing site in East Harlem.
“Carmen Villegas Apartments is exactly the type of project I am excited to see in this borough,” said Manhattan Borough President (BP) Mark Levine.
East Harlem is a vivacious neighborhood that is composed of about 45% Hispanic/Latino and 30% Black residents. The “real median gross rent” in the neighborhood has increased from $820 in 2006 to $1,200 in 2022, reported the New York University (NYU) Furman Center. In addition to affordability, the principal concerns for residents in the community is staving off gentrification and displacement in the midst of the city’s ongoing housing crisis.
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“Facing a housing crisis where vacancy rates have hovered at around 2% in Manhattan and average rents at around $5,000 a month, we need to continue our efforts to create housing that Manhattanites can afford. This crisis affects all New Yorkers, including the elderly and those on a fixed income, which is why a new development for low-income seniors is so needed,” continued Levine in a statement.
Carmen Villegas Apartments is a proposed LGBTQ+ senior housing site, named after the late Carmen Villegas. She was a “steadfast” community activist and member of Community Board (CB) 11, whose life’s work was to combat displacement and the HIV/AIDS crisis. Villegas passed from cancer in 2012. “This project will be a testament to the work of Carmen Villegas as a community advocate in East Harlem,” said Levine.
The developers want to build next to what is currently the Casita Park Housing for the Elderly, located in East Harlem on 110th Street and Park Avenue. Casita Park is a 6-story building with 94 units for seniors that was built in the early 2000s. The development plan is to replace Casita’s existing parking lot with a 28-story, 210-unit building with a community space for queer seniors.
At least 70% of the apartments will be for seniors (ages 62+) with incomes up to 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), developed under Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)’s Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) program, and 30% of the apartments are supposed to go to formerly homeless individuals (ages 55+). The ground floor will be operated by Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE). The housing plan also has green energy and sustainability elements – winning New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)’s Buildings of Excellence Competition.
The developers are HPD, Ascendant Neighborhood Development Corporation, Xylem Projects, and Urban Builders Collaborative. Their outreach team began presenting their proposal to CB11 in 2022.
“It’s a win-win for the space and housing those with limited disposable income,” said Chair of CB 11 Xavier Santiago.
Santiago said that CB11 has long advocated for affordable housing projects. The only difficulty was making sure the housing continues to benefit the community once built, which is why they championed the pre-Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) process. CB11 gave unanimous approval of the pre-ULURP proposal on March 25. Their main recommendations for the developer was to meet local hiring targets and establish partnerships with local workforce development organizations.
He hoped that the building would honor Villegas and be a bastion of housing like Sendero Verde, an affordable mixed-use supportive housing project that took almost 10 years of advocacy to complete. After the city settled a civil rights lawsuit over community preference last year, Verde was one of the last projects built with 50% of apartments set aside for people living in the community district already. The city had to drop that preference down to 20% until April 2029. Starting in May 2029, the share drops to 15%.
This year will also see a new council member elected in city council District 8. Several candidates are running to replace the incumbent Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, who is term-limited. A few candidates weighed-in with their support for Carmen Apartments as well.
“The Carmen Villegas Apartment proposal is a shining example of the kind of thoughtful, community-centered development we need in District 8. From incorporating public art to creating spaces where neighbors can gather, this project reflects our district’s spirit and values. It meets the urgent need for senior housing, includes wider setbacks for safer streets, and embraces sustainable design through Passive House certification,” said city council candidate Elsie R. Encarnacion, who is Ayala’s chief of staff. “I was fortunate to know Carmen Villegas personally, and seeing her name on this building that will serve and uplift the community, is truly special. It’s a meaningful way to honor her legacy.”
Wilfredo Lopez, also running for Ayala’s seat, applauded “the creation of deeply affordable senior housing” in City Council District 8.
“We need to replicate and expand these thoughtful housing initiatives — integrating supportive services, community space, and sustainable building practices like Passive House design, geothermal energy, and solar panels,” said Lopez in a statement. “I strongly support building environmentally responsible, equitable, and deeply affordable housing and will fight for more truly affordable housing across East Harlem and the South Bronx, because every resident deserves a safe, sustainable, and dignified place to call home.”
The full proposal is still in the planning and review process. Approval is still needed from the city council, the Mayor, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Developers anticipate starting construction in June 2026.