Environmental Review Process for the Redevelopment of Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Concludes

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), acting as Responsible Entity for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and lead agency under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) along with (NYCHA as joint-lead agency and local project sponsor, announced the July 28, 2025, publication of the Record of Decision (ROD) and Findings Statement pertaining to NYCHA’s redevelopment of Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses (FEC), marking the conclusion of the environmental review process that commenced in January 2024. As the final step following the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and publication of the Notice of Availability to the Federal Register, the ROD and Findings Statement conclude that HPD and NYCHA have considered all alternatives, information, analyses, and comments submitted by federal, state, local, and tribal governments and agencies, as well as the public, throughout the process of the Environmental Impact Statement. The documents also record the findings and decision to proceed with the Proposed Project as described in the FEIS, which, as prepared by HPD and NYCHA, identified the Rezoning Alternative as the Preferred Alternative for the Proposed Project. The ROD and Findings Statement represent the final step in the NEPA and State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) processes.  

The environmental review process for the redevelopment of FEC began in January 2024 with the issuance of a Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS together with a Draft Scope of Work, three public scoping meetings, and a written comment period to receive comments on the Draft Scope of Work. The process continued with the issuance of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Final Scope of Work in March 2025; three public hearings on the DEIS in April and May 2025; and a public comment period on the DEIS that remained open through May 19, 2025. On June 27, 2025, HPD and NYCHA released the FEIS, which included the contents of the DEIS, along with a summary of the comments received verbally at the public hearing or in writing during the DEIS public comment period, as well as responses to those comments, as well limited updates to certain technical analysis areas, where warranted.  

The redevelopment of Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses will rebuild all 2,056 existing units with brand-new homes and create up to 3,454 new mixed-income units and new community facilities and public spaces. The vast majority of residents, or 94 percent of all households, will be able to stay in their current apartments while their new homes are built, while the remaining six percent of households will be temporarily relocated to refreshed apartments within the campuses. Consistent with all Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) projects, existing NYCHA residents will benefit from HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) resident protections and affordability restrictions.