Formerly homeless and low-income families have a place to live with the opening of Stone House, a new affordable housing community in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Replacing a vacant lot, the newly built development provides 96 supportive housing units and 64 affordable units at a time when more than 60,000 people are homeless in New York City. Children comprise the majority of this population, according to city officials.
“Stone House will deliver immediate assistance and support to the women and children who continue to be the forgotten face of New York City’s homelessness crisis,” said Christine C. Quinn, president and CEO of Win (Women in Need), the largest provider of shelter for homeless families in the city. “This is a monumental step forward in combatting the city’s homelessness crisis, and Win is committed to ensuring these families have the support and resources they need to break the cycle of homelessness permanently. Stone House sets the standard for supportive housing models across the country—brand-new units designed to provide stability to families to help them get back on their feet.”
The development is named after Bonnie Stone, former Win president and CEO.
In addition to housing, the $80.6 million development offers case management as well as job-readiness and income-building programs. Families also receive assistance like referrals to programs for medical and mental health needs, education counseling, and access to social activities, among others.
“Supportive housing is a proven model for addressing homelessness, pairing high-quality affordable housing with the essential services that residents need to thrive,” said Maria Torres-Springer, commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), acknowledging the efforts of Win and Junius Glenmore Development.
Stone House supports mayor Bill de Blasio’s goal of adding 15,000 units of supportive housing over the next 15 years.
The development of Stone House was supported by the HPD Supportive Housing Loan Program, the NYC Housing Development Corp., the New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Program under the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Mayor's Office of Environmental REdmidation, and CSH.
Corporate partners include The Richman Group, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, FCA Realty, with additional support from the Google Community Foundation and Riley Home, which is providing blankets to new residents.
