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Unity Towers
NYCHA Developments Public Housing Preservation Trust Top Story 

Residents at Two Coney Island Developments Decide the Future of Their Homes

Michael

On August 23, NYCHA announced the final results of two separate, simultaneous resident votes at Coney Island Houses and Coney Island I (Site 1B), also known as Unity Towers, respectively. Residents have weighed in on the future of their homes, with residents from Coney Island Houses electing to remain under the traditional Section 9 model, and residents of Coney Island I (Site 1B) voting to enter the Public Housing Preservation Trust. Thirty days of voting concluded on August 15 following a 100-day public engagement period, with voting results certified by a qualified, third-party election administrator earlier today. Residents of the developments were able to vote by mail, online, or in person during the last 10 days of voting. After the initial tally of votes was conducted and preliminary results were announced on August 16, mail-in votes postmarked no later than August 15 were accepted and counted toward the final results. A total of five additional mail-in votes from across both sites were received.

Based on the final tally, residents from Coney Island Houses have elected to keep their development under the traditional Section 9 model. As a result, it will not be converted to Project-Based Section 8 through the Trust or Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program at this time. While this option will not unlock additional funding for comprehensive renovations, today’s decision demonstrates that NYCHA’s resident voting process is working and that residents have a say in the future of their homes. Traditional Section 9 receives capital and operations subsidy from the federal government, which has disinvested in public housing in New York City and across the nation for several decades.

Coney Island I (Site 1B) follows in the footsteps of Nostrand Houses and Bronx River Addition with the selection of the Public Housing Preservation Trust — a fully public entity signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022 following extensive advocacy from the Adams administration and NYCHA. The Trust is expected to unlock billions of dollars in federal funding for much-needed, comprehensive renovations at NYCHA developments to improve living conditions for residents.

“Our administration has given NYCHA residents a seat at the table to decide the future of their own homes,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Today’s results reaffirm that the process is working as intended, and residents are educated and empowered enough to chart their own course. As with all NYCHA votes, we encourage future developments and their residents to remain engaged and use the voting booth to make their voices heard.”

“Our administration is ramping up the work to deliver real results for NYCHA residents, putting the future of their developments into their hands,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Today, the residents of Coney Island Houses and Unity Towers officially join two other NYCHA campuses in helping to guide the future of their homes. This vote builds on the recent $2 billion added to the City’s capital budget for affordable and public housing, follows record-breaking numbers to preserve affordability, and keeps NYCHA on the right track to stabilize a public housing system with more people than Miami, Sacramento, or Atlanta.” 

“Resident engagement is the cornerstone of determining NYCHA’s future, and the active participation we’ve seen at Coney Island Houses and Unity Towers is truly inspiring,” said Executive Director for Housing Leila Bozorg. “The efforts of NYCHA’s Voter Engagement Team through door-knocking, phone-banking, and information sessions were instrumental in ensuring that every resident was well-informed and empowered to shape the future of their homes. By coming together through the resident voting process, we’ve built a stronger, more connected community ready to make decisions that will impact generations to come.”

“NYCHA is extremely proud of the turnout for the resident elections at Coney Island Houses and Unity Towers,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “This level of participation is a testament to the deeply invested resident communities at both developments, and their desire to meaningfully influence the future of their homes. We appreciate residents taking an active role in the voting process and remain dedicated to working alongside them to improve the quality of their lives through the paths they’ve selected.”

“I’m proud to see so many of my neighbors took advantage of the opportunity that the resident vote provided,” said Coney Island Houses Tenant Association President Lauretta Brumfield. “Together, we’ve demonstrated that we have a say and our choices matter. I’d like to thank NYCHA’s Voter Engagement Team for helping to explain the ballot options and engage with us throughout the process so that we were able to make informed decisions when casting our votes.”

“The residents of Unity Towers have made their voices heard,” said Coney Island I (Site 1B) Tenant Association President Elizabeth Maldonado. “When voting began, we wanted to make clear to our community how important this opportunity was, and judging by the impressive turnout, I believe the message was received. Now, we begin a new chapter as residents of Unity Towers, and I’m truly looking forward to the positive changes our work alongside the Trust will bring to our homes.”

“It’s very exciting to add Unity Towers to the expanding portfolio of New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust conversions,” said New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust President Vlada Kenniff. “Now that voting has concluded, we’re eager to roll up our sleeves and get to work with the residents at 2007 Surf Avenue.”

The final, certified results for Coney Island Houses yielded a total of 415 resident votes, including 277 heads of household, representing 54 percent of all eligible voters and 57 percent of heads of household from the development. By the election administrator’s count, the residents of Coney Island Houses have elected to remain Section 9 with a total of 241 votes, while 125 residents voted to join the Trust and 42 voted to enter the PACT program. Ballots marked with more than one selection or that were left blank were considered invalid. There were seven invalid votes from Coney Island Houses. The development will remain a part of the traditional Section 9 model. The final, certified results for Coney Island I (Site 1B) yielded a total of 192 resident votes, including 111 heads of household, representing 59 percent of all eligible voters and 60 percent of heads of household from the development. The development’s residents have voted to join the Public Housing Preservation Trust with a total of 108 votes, while 72 residents voted to remain Section 9 and 11 voted to enter the PACT program, by the election administrator’s count. One invalid vote was received from Coney Island I (Site 1B). Coney Island I (Site 1B) will now begin the process of converting to Project-Based Section 8, unlocking millions of dollars in much-needed funding for capital renovations to 192 apartments.

NYCHA estimates that nearly $80 billion is needed to bring properties across its portfolio into a good state of repair, with estimated 20-year capital needs of over $230 million for Coney Island Houses and $83 million for Coney Island I (Site 1B).

Home to 767 and 328 eligible voters, respectively, residents of Coney Island Houses and Coney Island I (Site 1B) were eligible to vote if they were 18 years or older and on the household composition. NYCHA’s Voter Engagement Team conducted 100 days of engagement at each development prior to the 30-day voting period, which included door-knocking, phone-banking, and distribution of physical materials to residents on the Bronx River Addition campus and to the development’s relocated population. Four public information sessions were held to explain the vote and ballot options to residents, and transportation was provided for relocated residents to help facilitate their attendance. These and other engagement efforts amounted to over 2,054 total touchpoints with 820 eligible voters at Coney Island Houses and Coney Island I (Site 1B).

The residents of Hylan Houses will be the next to vote, following 100 days of public engagement. A 30-day voting period is expected to run from November 13 to December 12.