Acacia Gardens

Organization Name: Acacia Network

Project Title: Acacia Gardens

Project Location: East Harlem, Manhattan

Project Description:
Acacia Gardens is a 12-story, mixed-use affordable housing development, serving households with incomes between 30-90% of AMI as well as formerly homeless individuals. Located at the northeast corner of East 120th Street and 1st Avenue in East Harlem, it is the flagship development of Acacia Network, the largest Latino-led nonprofit in New York State. In addition to studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, it features a recreational courtyard with children’s play area and a large outdoor deck. In keeping with Acacia Network’s commitment to sustainability, Acacia Gardens is LEED-certified and features one of New York City’s largest solar roofs. Acacia Gardens was developed by The Promesa Housing Development Fund (PHDFC) and Acacia Network, in partnership with the East Harlem Council for Community Improvement (EHCCI). The project was one of the first developed under the Extremely Low and Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) Program and the City’s Our Space Initiative, and partially funded with Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity. Project partners include HPD, HDC, former NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Borough President Gale Brewer, as well as Capital One and Hudson Housing Capital.

Community Impact:
This previously City-owned site –which was managed by the East Harlem Council for Community Improvement, Inc. (EHCCI) under the authorization of the New York City Department of Human Resources Administration (NYCHRA)– was formerly used for parking by tenants of the Multiservice Center operated by EHCCI. Through the development of Acacia Gardens, Acacia Network sought to revitalize an underutilized space to build permanently affordable housing in the neighborhood, with a 50% preference to residents of Community Board #11 in East Harlem. In addition to increasing the affordable housing stock in NYC for extremely low-income residents and formerly homeless individuals, the site provided new construction jobs for local community residents and created new permanent jobs upon completion. Overall, Acacia Gardens created over 200,000 square feet of residential, commercial, and community space, including more than 4,000 square feet available to local CBOs and nonprofit organizations serving the East Harlem Community.

Organization Description:
Acacia Network is one of the largest Latino-led nonprofits in the nation, serving more than 150,000 individuals annually through integrated, culturally responsive programs in the areas of health, housing, economic development, social services, and cultural revitalization. Our Network comprises over 100 affiliates across four boroughs in New York City, Buffalo, Albany, and Syracuse in New York State, as well as Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Connecticut, and Puerto Rico. For more info, visit: acacianetwork.org

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