Construction on Schedule for PACT Improvements at East 28th Street

In the five years since NYCHA began implementing the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program, more than 7,500 residents have benefitted from completed major building improvements, façade upgrades, and apartment renovations.   

As part of its NYCHA 2.0 plan, the Authority aims to use PACT to fully renovate and preserve 62,000 apartments, bringing comprehensive repairs and building upgrades to more than 142,000 residents across the city. So far, more than 9,500 apartments are in construction or have been renovated through PACT at 50 NYCHA developments, and nearly 12,000 apartments at 35 additional sites are slated for comprehensive repairs and upgrades. 

The PACT initiative has made these improvements for residents possible by creating public-private partnerships in which NYCHA developments are converted from Section 9 public housing funding to PACT project-based Section 8 funding (a form of Section 8 that provides enhanced protections for residents). At the same time, PACT ensures that homes remain permanently affordable and residents retain similar rights and protections under NYCHA’s public housing program. Since PACT’s launch in 2016, NYCHA has generated almost $2 billion in major repair work across the city. 

Among the developments set to receive a range of improvements under PACT is 344 East 28th Street in Manhattan. The 26-story building is one of 16 NYCHA sites in Manhattan that are targeted for more than $271 million in major repairs and renovations thanks to a PACT deal approved in November with developer PACT Renaissance Collaborative (PRC).     

The various improvements include renovations to apartment kitchens and bathrooms, full rehabilitation of elevators and heating systems, extensive mold and lead abatement repair work, and enhanced safety and security installations such as fire systems and security camera systems in common areas. Construction work at 344 East 28th Street is on schedule and slated to begin in the early summer, according to PRC, which oversees day-to-day management of the property.

Beyond the major repairs, another benefit of PACT is that it provides residents with access to employment opportunities related to the repair work as well as enhanced on-site programming.   

“Moving forward with PACT transactions is a central part of our strategy to help ensure all NYCHA residents have quality housing and permanent rights and affordability,” NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ said when the agreement was announced.  

The milestone deal came after a year and a half of ongoing community discussions with resident associations, and most of the planned improvements to the buildings were developed with feedback from residents and resident association leaders.   

Through the PACT initiative, NYCHA retains public ownership of the land and buildings, and all apartments continue to be subsidized through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Photo caption: This renovated kitchen is an example of some of the improvements that East 28th Street residents can expect to see under the PACT program.