Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, joined by New York City Agencies, Breaks Ground on New Affordable Senior Housing
The $143.4 Million Catholic Charities Gail P. Duke Senior Residence to Provide 141 Units with Supportive Services in Brownsville
Brooklyn, NY – The Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn and Very Reverend Patrick J. Keating, Esq., Deputy Executive Director, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, were joined by Adolfo Carrión, Jr., New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, NYC Aging Commissioner and community leaders on Thursday, September 19, 2024, for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Catholic Charities Gail P. Duke Senior Residence. This $143.4 million development will provide 141 units of affordable sustainable apartments for low-income seniors with supportive services in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn.
The Gail P. Duke Senior Residence, expected to be completed by mid-2026, is developed by Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development (CCPOPD) Corporation. Construction financing for the building includes 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) supported by $84,715,000 in NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Tax-Exempt Bonds and syndicated by Richman Housing Resources, along with a $7,820,000 HDC second mortgage, $10,016,215 in HOME funds from the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Senior Affordable Rental Apartments (SARA) Program and $4,500,000 in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, and $1,000,000 in NYC City Capital sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. The project was also awarded a $1,000,000 grant as a model demonstration by the New York State Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Buildings of Excellence Competition. This robust financial backing is a testament to the city and state’s commitment to affordable housing for seniors in need. Federal funding includes 141 project-based vouchers with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which will guarantee long-term affordability for residents.
“Older New Yorkers should never have to choose between a stable home and other essential needs,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “The Gail P. Duke Senior Residence is more than just housing—it’s a lifeline for older New Yorkers on fixed incomes. It will provide not only affordable, accessible homes but also a community where our older adults can thrive, with services that meet their needs and help them remain connected to the city they love.
“New housing like the Gail P. Duke Senior Residence makes it possible for Brooklyn’s older adults to age in place with dignity and affordability,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “With 141 units of affordable housing with supportive services, I was proud to provide $1 million in capital funding to this project which can provide a lifeline to our low-income seniors living in eastern Brooklyn. I look forward to working with Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens on the completion of this project and on future projects to provide the affordable housing the Brooklynites sorely need.”
“The Gail P. Duke Senior Residence project goes beyond simply providing affordable housing — it’s a promise to recognize the importance of its residents by offering them both a safe place to live and the wraparound services and supports to thrive in their communities,” said NYC Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “Thank you, Catholic Charities, for sharing our commitment to older New Yorkers and for creating this vibrant, sustainable housing opportunity for older adults. This is exactly what we need to keep moving toward a truly age-inclusive city.”
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens is one of the largest providers of affordable housing in the nation and currently provides 4,567 units of affordable housing with support services for seniors, families, veterans and the formerly homeless. The proposed senior building is an integral part of Catholic Charities approach to providing intergenerational, affordable, and safe housing in Brooklyn. Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development will provide quality clean and resilient housing for older adults to comfortably age‐in‐place. Providing all‐electric heating, cooling and hot water systems, following Passive House (PHIUS) sustainable design standards, along with ENERGY STAR® Multifamily New Construction Program, EPA’s Indoor airPLUS, and Enterprise Green Communities certification standards enhances the overall safety, health and comfort of the residences. The project will utilize CDBG‐DR funds to incorporate resiliency, including back‐up generator power for cooling, sheltering in place, and other emergency needs.
Located at 350 Livonia Avenue, the Catholic Charities Gail P. Duke Senior Residence will feature a 10,000 square-foot older adult center on the ground floor with on-site supportive services provided by Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, the social services arm of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens. The Older Adult Center will offer daily hot meals prepared on-site, educational events, fitness classes, and senior case management services, promoting an active healthy lifestyle.
“Gail P. Duke Senior Residence responds to the growing housing needs of older New Yorkers, while providing critical supportive services, on-site educational programming, and fitness classes,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “We look forward to working with all of our development partners involved to deliver over 140 deeply affordable senior homes to the Brownsville community.”
“Bank of America Community Development Banking is pleased to provide a construction loan and tax credit equity to help finance the construction of much-needed affordable housing for families in Brooklyn,” said Erin Galligan, Senior Vice President for Community Development Banking at Bank of America. “Gail P. Duke Senior Residence is a great example of the impact we can make to help the most vulnerable in our communities and demonstrates our continued commitment to support the communities where we work and live.”
“We would like to thank and acknowledge the hard work of our wonderful development partner, Catholic Charities Brooklyn Queens for its commitment create new apartment units for low-income seniors said Kevin Hoffman President of Richman Housing Resources LLC. “Gail P. Duke is a great example of how public-private partnerships, using federal low-income housing tax credit programs, can create and maintain housing for low-income senior in our communities.
“As our Senior community continues to age, living in an adaptive and secure environment is important,” said Gail P. Duke, Treasurer, Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development Corporation. “The amenities provided by Catholic Charities minimize the struggle of daily life. I am honored to have my name associated with such a progressive facility.”
“We at NYCHA are so pleased to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Gail P. Duke Senior Residence in Brownsville, Brooklyn,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Leased Housing Lakesha Miller. “The Authority is honored to have provided the project-based vouchers for 141 new units of affordable housing that will be home to low-income seniors in this vibrant neighborhood. We extend our sincere appreciation to Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, and all of our partners on this amazing project, for their dedication to building affordable housing options for New Yorkers in need.”
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “NYSERDA is proud to support Catholic Charities Gail P. Duke Senior Residence which is recognized as a model demonstration project for resilient climate-friendly design and construction as part of the Buildings of Excellence Competition. This project shows how early collaboration combined with innovation can result in the creation of healthy, comfortable and affordable places to live for aging New Yorkers.”
“Today’s groundbreaking is a significant moment for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens,” said Very Reverend Patrick J. Keating, Esq., Deputy Executive Director of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens. “The new Gail P. Duke Senior Residence will add to our portfolio of over 3,000 units for seniors in need. It aims to provide Brooklyn’s growing older adult population with more affordable housing options, as well as offer seniors accessible housing and supportive services, thereby giving them a chance to live longer. The expansion of affordable senior housing is crucial in our city, as it enhances seniors’ quality of life, reduces isolation, and improves their physical and mental health.”
“For 125 years, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens has responded to the needs of those they serve, and now, through vision and partnership, they will open 141 new units of affordable senior housing in Brownsville. At the heart of this construction project is indeed a great love of neighbor, knowing that these apartments will offer many the chance to age with dignity,” said the Most Reverend Robert J. Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn.
CCPOP secured project financing in April 2024 with all public and private sources. The construction term is anticipated to take approximately two years, followed by marketing, leasing and permanent financing conversion estimated at one year through 2027.
“As the city continues to prioritize the creation of supportive housing, projects like the Gail P. Duke Senior Residence are critical to ensure that the growing population of older New Yorkers has access to housing and specialized supportive services that will allow them to lead healthier, more fulfilling, and longer lives,” said HRA Administrator Scott French. “We are proud to play a role in this incredible project, and we look forward to seeing this important resource come to fruition and begin providing much-need affordable and permanent homes for older New Yorkers in need.”
“Our senior population is one of the most vulnerable populations, and they need to be stimulated, they need to have activities, and so this is going to be really good for them in terms of safety, longevity, and quality of life,” said Genese Morgan, Community Board 16 President.
“It’s no secret that the scarcity of affordable housing has reached crisis level in the State of New York, especially among seniors,” said Assemblywoman Latrice Walker. “That, of course, includes the community of Brownsville where I was born and raised. I congratulate Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, private, public and community partners, and everyone involved in the construction of the Gail P. Duke Senior Residence. I was happy to be there for the groundbreaking. Please count me as a resource in the effort to connect members of the community to jobs related to the project. I look forward to the ribbon-cutting in 2026.”
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About Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development (CCPOPD) Corporation
For 125 years, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been providing quality social services to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens and currently offers 160-plus programs and services for children, youth, adults, older adults, and those struggling with mental illness. Since 1975, Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development Corporation, the affordable housing developer of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, has been transforming vacant land and buildings into affordable housing units and transforming the lives of individuals and families, and completed more than 4,567 units with supportive services for seniors, families, veterans and the formerly homeless. Since 2020, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has provided much-needed food packages and services at 60 Catholic Charities parish-based food pantries and has distributed over $15 million in food assistance. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens continues to deliver crucial mental health counseling, housing services, family services, early childhood education, and emergency services.
About The Department for the Aging
The Department for the Aging’s (NYC Aging) mission is to eliminate ageism and create a community-care approach that allows residents to live the quality of life they deserve. Through a network of over 300 older adult centers and naturally occurring retirement communities, support, and services are provided that allow the nearly 1.8 million older New Yorkers to continue living independently in their communities.
The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC)
The New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) seeks to increase the supply of multi-family affordable housing, stimulate economic growth and revitalize New York City’s neighborhoods. We are charged with helping to finance the creation and preservation of affordable housing for New Yorkers and also serve as the key financing partner in the rehabilitation of our city’s public housing stock under the NYCHA Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) initiative. As the nation’s largest municipal Housing Finance Agency, HDC consistently ranks among the nation’s top issuers of mortgage revenue bonds for affordable multi-family housing.
About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).
About Richman Housing Resources
Over the last five years, The Richman Group and its affiliates has been the nation’s premier sponsor of affordable housing tax credit funds. To date, the organization has structured and sponsored real estate investment funds that have surpassed 1,600 properties acquired. Our properties are located in forty-nine states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through public and private offerings, the firm has raised $16 billion of equity dollars that have been invested in real estate transactions having a property cost of nearly $25 billion.
One characteristic that distinguishes The Richman Group is our acquisition philosophy, which is based on the premise that reducing risk is the prime objective of our partners. Drawing on our diverse competencies, we actively work with developers during the project design and structuring stages to reduce investment risk for our investors while enhancing economic performance for our third-party developers, both for-profit and not-for-profit.
About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to 1 in 17 New Yorkers, providing affordable housing to 520,808 authorized residents through public housing and Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) programs as well as Section 8 housing. NYCHA has 177,569 apartments in 2,411 buildings across 335 conventional public housing and PACT developments. In addition, NYCHA connects residents to critical programs and services from external and internal partners, with a focus on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.
Media Coverage:
Catholic Charities Breaks Ground On Affordable Senior Living Community In Brownsville, New York, Environments for Aging
Catholic Charities’ 141-Unit Senior Residence Breaks Ground in Brownsville, The Tablet
New affordable housing project for seniors breaks ground in Brooklyn, WPIX-TV (PIX11)
Groundbreaking Begins on CCBQ’s 13-Story Affordable Housing for Seniors in Brownsville, Currents on NET NY
Catholic Charities to break ground for new senior residence, Brooklyn Eagle
For 125 years, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been providing social services to those in need, now offering more than 160 programs serving 500,000 people annually. Since 1975, Catholic Charities has built more than 4,500 units of affordable housing. Last year, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens provided $6.5 million in food assistance at 60 parish-based food pantries, community centers and distribution events, as well as meal delivery to homebound seniors. Additionally, Catholic Charities offers emergency assistance, older adult services, mental health counseling, affordable housing, family services, and early childhood programs.