The NYCHA Journal

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Fulton Chelsea-Elliot Houses
PACT Repair & Rebuild Top Story 

NYCHA Seeks Partners to Implement Comprehensive Repairs and Investments at Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses

Vincent Echavaria

The RFP to address estimated $366 million in capital needs follows publication of Working Group recommendations and reflects key milestone in resident- and community-driven process 

On April 23, NYCHA announced a first-of-its-kind Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking proposals from teams comprised of developers, general contractors, and property managers to comprehensively address the capital needs at Fulton, Chelsea, Chelsea Addition, and Elliott Houses. The four developments, which include 2,073 apartments across 24 buildings in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, have an estimated total of $366 million in extensive capital need and repair costs ranging from heating infrastructure to building security improvements. 

In developing the RFP, NYCHA and resident leaders worked to incorporate the recommendations of the Chelsea Working Group – a cohort of residents, elected officials, community representatives, and housing and legal organizations – which convened regularly since late 2019 to evaluate the different options available for modernizing the properties. In February 2021, the Working Group published a set of recommendations to fund comprehensive repairs, while ensuring resident rights are protected and that residents remain deeply engaged in the planning process going forward. Among other strategies to raise revenue for repairs, the Working Group recommended that the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea developments be included in NYCHA’s Permanent Affordability Commitment Together Program, or PACT, and identified appropriate locations and design guidelines for mixed-use redevelopment. 

“We are thrilled to be taking this important step to bring comprehensive and much-needed repairs to the residents of Fulton Houses,” said Fulton Houses Resident Association President Miguel Acevedo. “I look forward to continue working with NYCHA to implement the recommendations of the Chelsea NYCHA Working Group, and I want to thank the many residents and community leaders who have worked tirelessly over the course of the last 18 months to ensure we come up with a plan that works for this community.”  

“The Elliott-Chelsea Houses are in critical need of investment and repairs,” said Elliott-Chelsea Resident Association President Darlene Waters, “and we are proud to be working on a process with NYCHA to ensure our residents will finally have the safe, affordable homes they deserve. We will continue to have a strong voice in this project and are excited to work with NYCHA to select partners in the months ahead who will make our vision a reality.” 

“NYCHA’s PACT strategy gives public housing residents a direct say in what improvements are being made to the places they live, work, and play,” said NYC Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “By allowing the lived experiences of our residents from Fulton, Chelsea, Chelsea Addition, and Elliott Houses to inform this Request for Proposals, we can better protect our residents, their homes, and the surrounding communities.” 

“I am happy to arrive at this milestone, which would not have been possible without the efforts of our Working Group,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “When we started this process, plans included the demolition of existing public housing. Our extensive community planning process eliminated such demolition and presented a nuanced plan that puts residents and affordability front and center, while balancing the need for repairs with growth and development. I look forward to seeing a development team carry out the thoughtful recommendations of the Working Group.” 

“The strong level of resident participation we’ve seen in the creation of this RFP has been historic for a NYCHA development,” said Assembly Member Richard Gottfried. “Selecting the right development team that will incorporate all of the recommendations of the Chelsea Working Group, such as including a non-profit and MWBE partner, will be essential to the future of NYCHA developments in Chelsea, and it’s important that residents will continue to be at the table participating in this selection process.” 

“Today’s RFP represents a significant step in bringing the capital investments necessary for addressing the aging building conditions at Fulton, Chelsea, Chelsea Addition, and Elliott Houses” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “NYCHA is committed to delivering comprehensive repairs and improvements across our portfolio, and will continue to fully engage with the residents of these developments around the changes they would like to see in their homes and communities.” 

“Resident engagement is a critical component of any successful PACT conversion,” said NYCHA Real Estate Development Executive Vice President Jonathan Gouveia. “When we empower our residents, we can create the level of trust and support needed to substantially renovate these sites and deliver meaningful quality of life improvements.” 

“The Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea Houses RFP is a landmark moment,” said Citizens Housing and Planning Council Executive Director Jessica Katz. “For the first time, NYCHA residents are situated as equal partners and decision-makers alongside the housing authority in the preservation of their homes. CHPC is excited to see our Public Housing Revolution research come to life in this process – Public housing residents helped to craft the RFP, developed a scoring system that reflects their priorities, and will work alongside NYCHA to select a winning proposal. Finally public housing residents will have a seat at the table as they work to ensure much-needed improvements to their homes.” 

With Citizens Housing and Planning Council serving as an independent resident advisor, NYCHA involved resident leaders from Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea in the drafting of the RFP to ensure the Working Group recommendations were included and that responses would be tailored to meet the goals and priorities of this community. As part of the RFP process, resident leaders will review proposals, interview respondent teams, and work with NYCHA to ultimately select the partners who will rehabilitate and manage the properties over the long term.  

Given the unique opportunities with this project and strong participation by resident leaders, NYCHA’s Real Estate Development Department also hopes to solicit responses from a wide range of development partners operating locally, regionally, and nationally. Prospective applicants will be asked to incorporate Working Group recommendations and priorities in their proposals, as well as answer preliminary questions around such issues as resident retention, property management, and nonprofit partnerships.  

NYCHA’s Real Estate Development Department anticipates selecting partners by the end of this year. 

Interested entities can learn more about the RFP at upcoming virtual pre-submission conferences scheduled for May 5 at 12pm and May 19th at 12pm. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposal submission process and ask questions about this unique opportunity. Please RSVP to fultonelliottchelsearfp@nycha.nyc.gov.  

More information about this procurement opportunity can be found on the PACT Procurement website, and details on the Chelsea NYCHA Working Group process are available on NYCHA’s website. 

Responses are due by August 11, 2021.  

Photo caption: Elliot-Chelsea Houses is among the Manhattan developments poised to receive critical investment and repairs under an RFP announced by NYCHA.