Brownsville Passive House to Offer Stability for the Unhoused

Slate Property Group and non-profit RiseBoro Community Partnership broke ground on a new Passive House project in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn earlier this week. Located at 326 Rockaway Avenue, the mixed-use building is slated for completion in summer 2025. Leasing will begin the following year.

The development creates 215 permanently affordable apartments for low-income New Yorkers. Of those units, 130 will be reserved for formerly unhoused young adults and their families, who will then have access to onsite supportive housing services provided by RiseBoro’s expert staff. These services will include person-centered case management and service planning, life skills and needs assessments, counseling and crisis intervention, support for families’ referrals for employment and education opportunities, and opportunities for community engagement and leadership. RiseBoro staff will also provide mentoring and empowerment services in collaboration with the non-profit’s education program.

Funding for the supportive housing program comes from the NYC 15/15 Program, a New York City-funded rental assistance program that helps eligible families or individuals who are unhoused or at risk of losing their home. The program provides an affordable apartment and supportive services to help them move toward the goal of long-term stability.

The Brownsville project is yet another major collaboration between Slate and RiseBoro and comes on the heels of their announcement early last month that they will convert a hotel near JFK airport into more than 300 permanently affordable apartments. Unlike the hotel conversion, the Brownsville project is new construction and will pursue Phius certification.

“New York City is facing a housing crisis,” said John Valladares, Managing Director at Slate Property Group. “Every new apartment and new building we can build means giving more of our neighbors a safe, affordable, and stable home. That’s especially true of 326 Rockaway Avenue, where we’ve worked with our RiseBoro partners to design a building that will feel like a true community.”

RiseBoro CEO Scott Short echoed Valladares’ sentiment: “All New Yorkers deserve housing they can afford and be proud of and 326 Rockway provides both. At a time when affordability and climate change are two of the biggest issues facing our city, we’re proud to work with Slate to chip away at both of these existential crises.”

The project was designed by Aufgang Architects, and will be all electric, outfitted with rooftop solar PV equipment, and meet Enterprise Green Communities, ensuring a rigorous level of energy efficiency while also creating comfortable indoor living spaces for residents. Additional amenities will include ground-floor retail, a community space, classrooms, and a roof terrace.

Aufgang is no stranger to the area, as 326 Rockaway will be one of two Passive House buildings to be constructed on the same block. The other project, the Brownsville Arts Center and Apartments, recently won a Buildings of Excellence award and will rise nine stories from 366 Rockaway Avenue. Additionally, it will achieve both Phius 2021 Core and Fitwel certification and bring an additional 291 units of affordable housing to the area.