NYC Project Brings Housing, Services to Seniors

New York City has been in dire need of affordable senior housing for some time. The proof? That’s in the eye-popping interest in the East Clarke Place Senior Residence—a newly opened Bronx development aimed at low-income and homeless seniors.

According to the project’s stakeholders, East Clarke received more than 26,000 applications for the property’s 84 lottery units—and over 200 of them were handwritten.

The property is now fully leased up, and residents pay less than $1,000 per month—though never more than 30% of their monthly income.

Volunteers of America–Greater New York, which helped develop East Clarke, says the property isn’t just “a source of much-needed affordable housing, but a community where older adults can age safely and with dignity.”

It’s one of the first developments to take advantage of the city’s Affordable Independent Residences for Seniors zoning, which allowed developers to maximize the number of units in the building while still providing ample space for socialization and activation. The property has 20 social spaces on-site, a large community room, a garden terrace, a rooftop garden with a reading area, and furnished lounges on every floor.

The $69.4 million East Clarke is certified LEED Platinum. There is also a suite for a supportive service director and three case managers who can assist with benefits, referrals, and social and recreational activities.

Fernando Villa, principal at Magnusson Architecture and Planning, calls the project an “accessible, inclusive living environment.”

“The key design objective for East Clarke Place Senior Residence was to produce a high-quality, sustainable, and healthy place to live,” Villa says.