ShareNYC

Organization Name: Ascendant Neighborhood Development

Project Title: ShareNYC

Project Location: 244 E. 116th St, New York, NY 10029

Project Description:
ShareNYC is an innovative, new construction shared housing development that will create 33 rooming units of supportive housing. In October 2019, NYC HPD designated Ascendant Neighborhood Development (AND) in partnership with the Ali Forney Center (AFC) for the ShareNYC pilot program. ShareNYC's residential design revolves around 8-bedroom duplex living units. Each duplex offers individual bedrooms, with one accessible bathroom for every two bedrooms. Communal areas within the duplexes include shared cooking and dining facilities, double-height living rooms with interconnecting stairs, study areas, and laundry amenities. These spaces are intentionally designed to surpass typical studio apartment offerings in both size and quality, promoting a sense of community and positive resident interaction. The first two floors of the building will house support services for the residents as well as a multi-purpose room opening onto a landscaped garden. AFC, the leading non-profit dedicated to LGBTQIA+ homeless youth in the United States, will provide on-site social services for residents. In addition to housing, residents gain access to a wide array of supportive programs.

Community Impact:
This project addresses a critical need for supportive housing, specifically for homeless LGBTQIA+ young adults aged 18-25, the majority of whom are youth of color and all of whom have low incomes. AFC, the largest provider of services for homeless LGBTQIA+ youth in the US, will use the new building as a supportive living facility for AFC clients and other young people experiencing housing instability. AFC has a wealth of experience serving this demographic and a successful model for holistic supportive housing that enhances the well-being of vulnerable LGBTQIA+ youth.

ShareNYC offers an innovative and replicable approach, combining well-designed shared housing with comprehensive programming. The project's success would provide a safe and stable haven for young individuals, offering them a path toward a more secure and productive life.

ShareNYC is also a pioneering pilot project that is helping to reexamine the zoning, building code, and housing maintenance code regulations that have for decades constrained the city’s supply of small, affordable apartments and rooming units. Its success will advance the long-overdue conversation about how the city houses its most vulnerable residents.

Organization Description:
Ascendant Neighborhood Development (AND) is a non-profit housing development corporation dedicated to enhancing quality of life through affordable housing initiatives, community engagement, and sustainable neighborhood development. Over the past three and a half decades, we have achieved significant milestones in our mission to provide safe, stable, and affordable housing options for the diverse residents of our community.

Team Members:

Developer: Ascendant Neighborhood Development Corporation
Social Service Provider: Ali Forney Center
Architect: Think! Architecture
Landscape Architect: Terrain