(August 12, 2021) New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas today announced the completion of Hillside Crossing, a new, affordable new development of seven buildings and 85 apartments in the Hamilton Hill neighborhood of Schenectady. 26 housing units are provided for people who need support in order to be able to live independently.

"Investing in quality, supportive housing developments enables us to recover from the COVID pandemic in ways that improve lives and truly benefit the entire community." Commissioner Visnaucasus said. "The $ 40 million Hillside Crossing complex turned derelict and derelict properties in Hamilton Hill into 85 beautiful, sustainable, and affordable new homes. The dedication of The Community Builders, the City of Schenectady, and the State of New York brought this project home – and made it home to hundreds of people. This is real progress. "

Hillside Crossing is a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments. Rents are affordable for tenants with a range of incomes equal to or below 70 percent of the area median income. There is a five-story, medium-rise elevator building with 54 apartments, three low buildings with 21 apartments, and three two-story townhouses with 10 apartments.

The mid-rise building features on-site laundry facilities and common areas. The recreation space includes outdoor seating, a playground, backyards, parking lots, and community gardening facilities. This building will also house offices for the Schenectady Community Action Program, which provides support services to qualified tenants. These services are funded through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative Award administered by the NYS Office of Mental Health.

Amenities in the low-rise development on the corner of Albany and Craig Streets include washer and dryer connections in every unit. The recreation space includes outdoor seating and a playground and there is a commercial space.

The townhouse portion of the Hillside Crossing development on Stanley and Delamont streets also includes washer and dryer hookups in each apartment and resident parking.

The developer is nonprofit The Community Builders, Inc.

Hillside Crossing was built in accordance with New York State policies to support sustainable, green, and affordable housing. Design features include high efficiency heating and cooling, LED only / high efficiency lighting, high efficiency insulation, energy saving windows, low flow plumbing fixtures and water sensor, Energy Star devices and low VOC products including paints, coatings, adhesives, gaskets and composite wood . In the medium-high building, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority financed 100 percent geothermal heating and cooling for the residential units. In addition, two parcels on Albany Street had to be remediated and cleaned as part of the State Department of Environmental Conservation's brownfield cleanup program, which qualified the project for brownfield tax credits.

The $ 40 million HCR funding for development included $ 4.5 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, federal low-income home tax credits, $ 13.2 million in equity, and $ 11.9 million Dollars in subsidies. The DEC issued brownfield tax credits that raised $ 2 million in equity. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability provided more than 3.3 million. Additional funding included $ 2 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank, $ 390,000 from various Schenectady programs, and $ 250,000 from Schenectady Foundation. M&T Bank provided pre-development finance and was the syndicator of tax credits to the Royal Bank of Canada.

Hillside Crossing builds on HCR's investment in the first phase of Schenectady's major Hamilton Hill revitalization project. The Hillside View Apartments, which were completed in 2018 and valued at 22 million US dollars, are now 100 percent occupied by 58 apartments.

Hillside Crossing is part of the state's unprecedented $ 20 billion 5-year housing plan. HCR is in the final year of the plan to make housing accessible and fight homelessness by building and maintaining more than 100,000 units of affordable housing and 6,000 supportive housing units.

Mental Health Bureau Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said: "Supportive housing estates like this one in Schenectady give people with mental illnesses a path into their own future. They ensure that people have a safe and stable home where they can focus on their individual goals and recovery. We are proud to be part of the Hillside Crossing project. "

State Office's Commissioner for Temporary and Disabled Aid Mike Hein said: "A critical component in building and sustaining vibrant communities is making sure they are inclusive of even the most vulnerable among us. Hillside Crossing is helping to breathe new life into a part of Schenectady in need of renovation. By offering supportive housing units, this development will provide a safe, affordable home for New Yorkers struggling with housing insecurity. "

Basil Seggos, commissioner for environmental protection for the U.S. Department of State in New York, said: "New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program is a powerful tool that is driving the cleanup of abandoned and unused land and the economic rebirth of communities across the state. Extensive cleanups in these two locations, complemented by the work of our partners at Homes and Community Renewal, will breathe new life into Schenectady's Hamilton Hill neighborhood and bring much-needed, affordable housing to the area, stimulate the local economy and improve the quality of life to enhance."

Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA said:, "Geothermal heat pumps provide an innovative solution to providing New Yorkers living in apartment buildings like Hillside Crossing with clean, affordable heating and cooling. Completion of this 85-unit complex will ensure that some of our most underserved Schenectady residents have access to high-performance energy features in their homes that can help reduce energy use and costs while also providing a healthier and more comfortable place to live to accomplish."

Susan McCann, Vice President, New York and New Jersey, The Community Builders Inc. said: "Hillside Crossing is the continuation of our work in the Hamilton Hill neighborhood, starting with Hillside View Apartments, a development with 58 units scattered around. Thirty-nine properties were purchased, including mostly dilapidated and vacant buildings that were subsequently demolished. We are proud of what we have achieved with the support and guidance of local stakeholders, state and local officials. "

source https://seapointrealtors.com/2021/08/12/new-york-state-homes-and-community-renewal-announces-opening-of-new-40-million-affordable-and-supportive-housing-complex-in-schenectady/

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