Financing for $529M PACT Renovation of Rangel Houses Closes
On October 15, NYCHA closed on the financing for a $529 million Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) project that will bring comprehensive renovations to over 1,800 residents living in eight residential buildings at Rangel Houses in Manhattan’s Harlem neighborhood. The buildings have now converted to Project-Based Section 8 through the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, unlocking funding that will allow the PACT partners – Genesis Companies and the Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) – to address the capital needs of the development and begin fully rehabilitating apartments, shared spaces, grounds, and building infrastructure to improve residents’ quality of life. The development will utilize the historic rehabilitation tax credit program, and residents will receive new window heat pumps, fully electrified heating and cooling to provide clean, reliable comfort year-round. Rangel Houses will also receive additional new flood protection and resiliency infrastructure, building on flood protection work already completed at the development following Hurricane Sandy. The PACT program maintains residents’ rights and preserves affordable rents for all households.
“This financial closing is an important milestone to deliver the comprehensive renovations that Rangel Houses residents deserve,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg. “Thanks to the work of NYCHA, Genesis, and CLOTH to make resident-informed investments, and greater and more flexible federal funding, this marks an opportunity to give these buildings a new start after 75 years in Harlem. Congratulations to the residents and the project team – I look forward to seeing these investments become reality: repaired buildings, new appliances, cleaner heat and AC, and more.”
“Today’s financial closing unlocks the funding to deliver comprehensive renovations to nearly 1,000 apartments at Rangel Houses,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Residents will see new kitchens and bathrooms, upgraded building systems, and refreshed community spaces, designed with input from the community and carried out by a partner team they helped select. Investments in electric heating and cooling and in climate resilience will also ensure a better quality of life for residents for years to come.”
“This $529 million closing is another significant step for the PACT program, which continues to bring comprehensive investments, better-resourced property management, and robust social services to NYCHA communities across the city,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President and Chief Real Estate Officer Heather Beck. “We’re proud to see this work begin at Rangel Houses, and we’re grateful to our partners for their commitment to residents. We look forward to seeing construction get underway.”
“Rangel Houses have been a staple in the Harlem community for over 75 years, and we joined the PACT program to provide upgrades to our apartments, grounds, and social services to continue our legacy for generations after us,” said Rangel Houses Tenant Association President Bernadette McNear.
“This latest PACT partnership will deliver critical apartment renovations to the more than 1,800 residents of NYCHA’s Rangel Houses, while also improving the overall infrastructure and climate resiliency of the entire campus,” said New York City Housing Development Corporation President Eric Enderlin. “HDC looks forward to working with all our partners as we continue our work to secure New York City’s public housing stock.”
“Every New Yorker deserves access to quality, affordable housing, and historic preservation can be a powerful tool in making that possible,” said New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser.“Earlier this year, the Ralph Rangel Houses were listed in the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing the site’s history and unlocking critical resources. Now, with access to federal and state historic tax credit programs, NYCHA and its partners at the Rangel Houses have additional tools and resources to help make the planned rehabilitation a success.”
“This closing is the culmination of years of planning, partnership, resident engagement, and hard work, but it is also the beginning of a much greater responsibility,” said Community League of the Heights Executive Director Yvonne Stennett. “CLOTH understands that affordable housing is about much more than bricks and mortar — it is about people, families, stability, and the ability for a community to remain rooted in the neighborhood it helped build. We are committed to ensuring that the investment in Rangel Houses translates into meaningful improvements in residents’ homes, stronger building systems and shared spaces, expanded opportunities, and continued access to the services and resources that help families thrive.”
Following the financial closing, Twin Pines Management will handle the day-to-day property management responsibilities at Rangel Houses, including responding to maintenance and repair requests, regularly cleaning common areas and grounds, managing trash and recycling collection, and providing regular extermination services. Twin Pines will also employ on-site security guards and install new security cameras in key locations, access control systems, and video intercom systems in apartments. On-site social services will be provided by CLOTH, a Harlem-based nonprofit that has supported affordable housing communities for more than 70 years, which will coordinate programming focused on workforce development, health and wellness, youth and family activities, food access, and services for seniors.
Selected in coordination with resident leadership, the PACT partner team has worked closely with residents and NYCHA to design every aspect of the development’s renovation. After years of community meetings, plans for the large-scale renovation and ongoing property management have been finalized, and the team has closed on the necessary financing to begin construction, which is expected to take place in phases over approximately four years. Additional details on the planned investments and improvements are outlined in the Community Plan document for Rangel Houses, which was developed through a collaboration between the partner team, residents, and NYCHA. A copy of the Community Plan will be distributed to every household at the start of construction.
Every apartment at Rangel Houses will receive comprehensive upgrades, including new kitchens with quartz countertops, wood cabinets, and stainless-steel appliances; fully renovated bathrooms with new fixtures, tile, and vanities; and new flooring, lighting, doors, and video intercom systems, along with full repairs to walls and ceilings. Building-wide upgrades will include new electrical service and wiring, upgraded plumbing, and ventilation improvements. Building facades, roofs, and building entrances will be repaired and improved, and common areas, including lobbies, hallways, stairwells, mail and package areas, and laundry rooms, will be renovated with new finishes and lighting. Existing community facility spaces, including the daycare, senior center, youth center, and tenant association offices, will also be renovated, and a former multi-purpose space will be restored to active use to support property management operations and resident programming, services, and community activities.
Outdoor areas across the campus will be redesigned with new landscaping, seating, and lighting to create welcoming spaces for residents of all ages. New recreational amenities will include a community plaza, a great lawn, a recreation yard, an urban farm, dog parks, senior seating areas, and a new all-ages playground with resurfaced play surfaces. Pathways and entrances will be improved to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards. The renovation will build on flood protection and resiliency work that was already completed following Hurricane Sandy. Additional flood protection infrastructure will be installed, and critical mechanical equipment will be relocated out of building basements to protect systems from future flooding. The project will also include significant investment in site improvements, including soil remediation and stormwater capture and treatment.
Rangel Houses, built in 1951 as Colonial Park Houses and later renamed for influential Tenant Association President Ralph J. Rangel, will utilize the historic rehabilitation tax credit program to help finance the renovation, in recognition of the development’s historical significance. As part of the historic preservation work, the PACT partner team will replace the development’s existing non-historic double-hung apartment windows with new energy-efficient casement windows designed to reflect the original 1951 window configuration and appearance, restoring key architectural features of the buildings while improving energy efficiency and resident comfort.
Genesis Companies is an affordable housing development firm based in Harlem with 20 years of experience developing and preserving high-quality affordable housing in Harlem and beyond. Genesis led as a co-developer on another PACT project in Harlem at Frederick Samuel Apartments.
Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) is a community-based, non-profit organization established in 1952 in Washington Heights. CLOTH brings deep expertise in affordable housing development and the provision of compassionate and holistic social services. CLOTH also serves as the social services provider at the Manhattan Bundle PACT project, which involves more than 1,700 apartments. The PACT program transitions NYCHA developments from traditional Section 9 assistance to Project-Based Section 8, unlocking funding for resident-selected PACT partners to complete comprehensive repairs or build new, modern homes while enhancing property management. Overall, 170 NYCHA developments (representing over 45,700 apartments) are in pre-development, are under construction, or have completed construction through the program. This represents nearly $17 billion in capital repairs for the Authority. The Authority is working to include 62,000 apartments in the PACT program in order to bring the benefits of comprehensive investments and upgrades, as well as enhanced property management and social services, to more than 142,000 residents.
