LGBTQ-Friendly Affordable Housing Headed to Harlem
Forthcoming building will feature 51 units for folks between ages of 18 and 25
BY TAT BELLAMY-WALKER
Homeward NYC, an organization
serving
homeless populations,
has inked a deal to
build LGBTQ-inclusive affordable
housing units for young adults in
Central Harlem.
The 51-unit affordable housing
development, dubbed “Homeward
– Central Harlem,” will serve
homeless individuals from the ages
of 18 to 25 years old at 15 West
118th Street in Harlem, according
to Multi-Housing News. The housing
development will also provide
young residents with a range of
services, including mental health
and counseling support, job placement,
and courses that will help
build life skills in budgeting, building
credit, and cooking.
Jeannette Ruffi ns, the executive
director of Homeward NYC, said
Homeward NYC has inked a multi-million dollar deal to build an LGBTQ-friendly affordable housing
development for young adults.
lack of family support, heightened
risk for survival sex work, and other
stressors make LGBTQ populations
more vulnerable to homelessness.
“Young people especially need
HOMEWARD.NYC
affordable housing. Even when
they have fi nished high school or
are low-income or haven’t started
their careers yet, many young
people were laid off due to COVID
HOUSING
because they were doing retail and
restaurants,” Ruffi ns said.
One of the major fi nancial backers
of the project, KeyBank Community
Development Lending and
Investment, has provided $16.3
million in funding and will be
working with the affordable housing
development fi rms Type A Projects
and Azimuth Development
Group, which also constructs market
rate housing.
Affordable Housing Finance reports
that the program will select
young adults from the Department
of Homeless Services and the Department
of Youth and Community
Development’s Runaway and
Homeless Youth Programs.
The affordable housing development
is slated to open in the fall of
2023. Homeward NYC also has affordable
housing buildings supporting
homeless LGBTQ young adults
in West Harlem and the Bronx.
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