CAMBA Gardens Phase II – Health and Housing

Organization Name: CAMBA Housing Ventures

Project Location: Wingate, Brooklyn

Project Goals:
Developed by CAMBA Housing Ventures, CG II represents $100 million in public/private investment and provides 293 units of LEED Gold, supportive and affordable new construction rental housing, including 175 studios, 28 one-bedrooms, 62 two-bedrooms, and 28 three-bedrooms on the campus of Kings County Hospital Center. A partnership with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, CG II is a continuation of the successful CAMBA Gardens Phase I. Together, these developments represent a national model for a partnership between a public hospital, a nonprofit community developer, a social service provider and community stakeholders to redevelop underutilized hospital property into much-needed sustainable and affordable housing co-located with health and mental health care services. CG II is a LEED Gold, HPD/Enterprise Green Communities and NYSERDA property, providing healthy indoor air quality and efficient operating systems.

Project Description:
With the downsizing of public hospitals, many hospitals like the Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) are working to repurpose surplus properties. Building on the success of CAMBA Gardens Phase I (209 units/$67 million), CAMBA Gardens Phase II (CG II) provides 293 units of sustainable, supportive and affordable housing on the KCHC campus for individuals and families. 182 of the building’s units are for formerly homeless special needs individuals and families and 110 units are for low-income community members leased through the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s lottery system all affordable up to 60% AMI. CG II represents the redevelopment of underutilized hospital property into much-needed sustainable and affordable housing co-located with health and mental health care services. CAMBA provides 24/7 front desk security and on-site social services, including case management and connection to CAMBA’s array of over 160 programs and 250 partners.

Community Impact:
CG II enabled the demolition of a former psychiatric facility and the re-use of a previously derelict site into a vibrant, new development with 293 units of much-needed supportive and affordable housing. The program creates synergies by providing housing opportunities for formerly homeless and low-income community residents while elevating design standards for affordable housing through thoughtfully selected building materials and finishes. Along with CAMBA Gardens Phase I, CG II has become an anchor of affordable housing and design excellence in the community. Wingate is experiencing a rapid increase in real estate prices and market-rate, non-contextual development. CG II provides long-term affordability and contextual design. This replicable model has yielded significant community impact by creating new housing, building connections to health care, creating permanent jobs, and helping New Yorkers to achieve their full potential.

Organization Description:
CAMBA has been providing services to New Yorkers in need for the past 40 years. CAMBA created CHV in 2005 to holistically address the burgeoning housing crisis. CHV’s mission is to develop sustainable, energy efficient buildings that provide safe and affordable housing for low-income and formerly homeless families and individuals. This affords great synergies with the emerging goals of public hospitals. CHV’s portfolio of completed or in progress developments is located across New York City, including work-out acquisition, new construction, rehabilitation and preservation sites. CHV set a goal in 2005 to have in the pipeline and/or partner on to create 1,000 units of affordable housing by 2015. We nearly doubled that goal, with 2,062 units and $625 million in public/private investment. CHV and CAMBA form a team of a community-based affordable housing developer and an experienced social service provider.