Press Release: Next Phase
of Innovative Urban Village

Next Phase of “Innovative Urban Village” Project Will Offer Mix of Affordable Housing Units for New Yorkers, Set Aside 15 Percent of Units for Formerly Homeless Individuals
Phase 1B Will Also Include Retail and Commercial Space, Daycare Space, and New Playground
Adams Administration Contributing Over $260 Million to Support Development
Partnership Between Adams Administration, Hochul Administration, Christian Cultural Center, Gotham Organization, and Monadnock Development
Entire Innovative Urban Village Expected to Deliver up to 2,000 Affordable Homes, 
Community Services, Arts Center, Child Care, and More Across 10.5 Acres in Brooklyn

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Reverend A. R. Bernard today celebrated their vision for Phase 1B of the “Innovative Urban Village,” which will create over 450 new units of affordable housing in East New York, Brooklyn. In addition to offering units to New Yorkers at a range of income levels, Phase 1B will set aside 15 percent of its units for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The phase — which will also include roughly 10,250 square feet of retail and commercial space, 12,600 square feet of daycare space, and a new 9,500-square foot playground — is expected to cost over $313 million, with the Adams administration contributing over $260 million through city capital funding and the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC). Phase 1B marks a key milestone in the larger Innovative Urban Village, which is expected to bring up to 2,000 new affordable homes as well as community services, a world-class arts center, 24/7 child care, and more to the community. Today’s announcement continues to build on Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Families” plan to create thousands of new homes across the city and develop more family-friendly neighborhoods from Coney Island to Inwood. City of Yes for Families also builds on the Adams administration’s record as the most pro-housing administration in New York City history. In addition to creating record amounts of affordable housing two years in a row, passing the first citywide zoning reform in 60 years, and advancing five neighborhood plans to create jobs and new housing across the city, the new housing being created through City of Yes for Families will help New York City reach Mayor Adams’ moonshot goal of creating 500,000 new homes by 2032. Throughout this week alone, the Adams administration is advancing nearly 2,000 new homes across the city to help families find an affordable place to live.

“Juneteenth is not only about remembering the past; it’s about recommitting ourselves to a more just, more equal, and more prosperous future. That’s what today’s announcement at Innovative Urban Village is all about too,” said Mayor Adams. “When we came into office, we said it was time to turn the page on decades of discrimination and outdated rules and instead turn New York into a ‘City of Yes’ where every person can make it. This project, in the heart of East New York, will help us get there, bringing thousands of new homes to the neighborhood and creating a holistic community with fresh food, child care, the arts, and more. Every day, we are fighting to give New Yorkers a key to a new home and to a better future.”

“I grew up in Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, and East New York. Never did I imagine that I would have the opportunity to bring this kind of change to a community that I grew up in,” said Reverend Bernard. “This shows what is possible when government, the private sector, and not-for-profits come together to change the narrative in underserved communities like East New York. It used to be the way up was out. We want to make sure the way up is right here. Thank you to Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, our partners, and our community for your support.”

“This project is a massive investment in confronting the housing crisis — aggressively and head-on,” said  New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Acting Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “We are building nearly 2,000 homes altogether here at the Innovative Urban Village, creating good-paying jobs, and bringing vital resources to the community — like a child care facility, a new grocery store, and a performing arts center. Together, we are pushing forward an ambitious agenda to build a little bit more housing in every neighborhood and meet our mission of ensuring that every New Yorker has a safe, affordable place to call home. Congratulations to everyone involved, and I cannot wait for the day when families move-in and begin to build their lives at the Innovative Urban Village.”

The entire Innovative Urban Village is expected to create up to 2,000 homes in East New York over the coming years. Phase 1A — which began construction in April 2024 and was supported by over $47 million in funding from the Adams administration — is expected to create over 380 affordable homes as well as a fresh food grocery store for the community.

Phase 1B of Innovative Urban Village development includes 114 units for Extremely Low Income households, 114 units for Very Low Income households, 224 units for Low Income households, and one unit for a super. Sixty-eight units are set aside specifically for formerly homeless households, providing critical housing stability for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. The project offers a range of unit types, including studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments, designed with modern amenities and community spaces that foster connection and well-being.

“The Innovative Urban Village project represents the kind of bold, community-centered development East New York deserves. By offering affordable homes, including units for formerly homeless individuals, with vital services like child care, retail, and green space, we are investing in the future,” said New York State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud. “I commend Mayor Adams, Reverend A.R. Bernard, and all the partners for their commitment to building a more equitable Brooklyn for generations to come.”

“With an over $500 million investment from the state, I am proud to support the Innovative Urban Village, which will offer new, safe, and exciting affordable housing options for the residents I represent. East New York is one of the last areas in our great city that has valuable land to build upon. With that comes the responsibility to build with consideration to meet the needs of our residents,” said New York State Assemblymember Nikki Lucas. “Sitting on over 10 acres of land, this project brings over 2,000 units of affordable housing and key opportunities for small businesses to grow and thrive. It will also bring much-needed jobs for our residents so their families can continue flourishing in East New York.  The project provides pathways to affordable homeownership for our residents and key everyday services, including daycare programs for District 60 children and a space for local artists to showcase their creative talents. I am proud to stand with Christian Cultural Center and my fellow colleagues in government as we launch this vision for a sustainable East New York.”

"Since taking office, I fought to ensure that our city would meaningfully partner with our clergy to bring much-needed affordable housing capital to Central Brooklyn. I have worked in lockstep with Reverend A.R. Bernard to advocate for this vision, and I applaud Mayor Adams and his administration for advancing this transformative project across the finish line to uplift the East New York community," said New York City Councilmember Farah N. Louis. "My passion for this project comes from both being a member of the Christian Cultural Center, and personal experience knowing what it is like for East New York seeking a safe, affordable place to live. I congratulate Rev. A. R. Bernard for his steadfast dedication to this vision, as his leadership has been instrumental in creating what will become one of New York City's largest and most impactful housing developments. I believe this project will provide opportunities for the next generation, and I look forward to seeing this visionary leadership, community partnership, and shared values project create lasting change for Brooklyn and our city."

Since entering office, Mayor Adams has made historic investments to create more affordable housing and ensure more New Yorkers have a place to call home. The Adams administration is advancing several robust neighborhood plans that, if adopted, would deliver more than 50,000 units over the next 15 years to New York neighborhoods. In addition to the Bronx-Metro North Station Area Plan and the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, both of which have been passed by the New York City Council, the Adams administration is advancing plans in Midtown South in Manhattan, as well as Jamaica and Long Island City in Queens.

Moreover, last December, Mayor Adams celebrated the passage of “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity,” the most pro-housing proposal in city history that will build 80,000 new homes over 15 years and invest $5 billion towards critical infrastructure updates and housing. Last June, City Hall and the City Council agreed to an on-time, balanced, and fiscally-responsible $112.4 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Adopted Budget that invested $2 billion in capital funds across FY25 and FY26 to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the New York City Housing Authority capital budgets. In total, the Adams administration has committed $24.7 billion in housing capital in the current 10-year plan as the city faces a generational housing crisis. Mayor Adams celebrated back-to-back record breaking fiscal years, as well as back-to-back calendar years, in both creating and connecting New Yorkers to affordable housing. Last spring, the city celebrated the largest 100 percent affordable housing project in 40 years with the Willets Point transformation. 

Building on the success of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, Mayor Adams unveiled his City of Yes for Families strategy earlier this year to build more homes and create more family-friendly neighborhoods across New York City. Under City of Yes for Families, the Adams administration is advancing more housing on city-owned sites, creating new tools to support homeownership, and building more housing alongside schools, playgrounds, grocery stores, accessible transit stations, and libraries.

Further, the Adams administration is using every tool available to address the city’s housing crisis. Mayor Adams announced multiple new tools, including a $4 million state grant, to help New York City homeowners create accessory dwelling units that will not only help older adults afford to remain in the communities they call home but also help build generational wealth. In addition to creating more housing opportunities, the Adams administration is actively working to strengthen tenant protections and support homeowners. The Partners in Preservation program was expanded citywide in 2024 through an $24 million investment in local organizations to support tenant organizing and combat harassment in rent-regulated housing. The Homeowner Help Desk, a trusted one-stop shop for low-income homeowners to receive financial and legal counseling from local organizations, was also expanded citywide in 2024 with a $13 million funding commitment.

Finally, Mayor Adams and members of his administration successfully advocated for new tools in the 2024 New York state budget that will spur the creation of urgently needed housing. These tools include a new tax incentive for multifamily rental construction, a tax incentive program to encourage office conversions to create more affordable units, lifting the arbitrary “floor-to-area ratio” cap that held back affordable housing production in certain high-demand areas of the city, and the ability to create a pilot program to legalize and make safe basement apartments.

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