Renovations Completed at Affordable Housing Development for Seniors
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State, county and city officials last week marked the competition of a $36M rehabilitation of an affordable housing development for senior citizens in White Plains.
The renovations at the Kingsley House on Barker Ave. included the upgrading of apartment amenities and improving the building’s safety and energy efficiency to enhance the quality of life for the 163 senior residences.
“The Common Council and I are dedicated to preserving and expanding low and moderate-income housing in the City of White Plains. The Kingsley House has served as an important affordable senior building in our city for many years,” said White Plains Mayor Tom Roach. “The completion of this rehabilitation project preserves essential low and moderate-income housing for seniors providing them with quality, energy-efficient housing. I am grateful to HCR, MDG, Smith & Henzy, and the various partners that collaborated to bring this important project to completion.”
Kingsley House was constructed in 1968 under the New York State Mitchell-Lama Program, which provides housing to low- and moderate-income residents across the state. Located at 41 Barker Avenue, the development features 163 apartments for seniors age 62 and older. All apartments are affordable to households earning at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income. The 12-story building has 33 studios, 115 one-bedrooms, 15 two-bedrooms, and one superintendent unit. There is also one commercial space that is currently vacant.
All apartments underwent substantial renovations including installing new cabinets, sinks, flooring, and updated bathrooms. Improvements to the building’s common areas included new finishes in the library and community room, installation of security cameras, elevator modernization, balcony and façade repairs, a new roof, and a wheelchair-accessible entryway.
“The completion of a $35.8 million rehabilitation project at Kingsley House is an incredible step towards generating safe and affordable housing for our residents in White Plains,” said Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “With this project, we are able to provide high-quality housing to seniors living in the area, improve their dignity and wellbeing, and protect them from skyrocketing rates. I am proud that funding for this project included $13.9 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds through state financing as part of our ongoing effort to keep housing affordable for all New Yorkers.”
State financing for the project included $13.9 million in permanent tax-exempt bonds, Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that generated $10.5 million in equity, and $2.4 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). HCR is also providing 53 Section 8 Project Based Vouchers.
“We want our Westchester County neighbors, no matter what age they are, to know that they are welcome and can make a home here,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “Affordable housing has been a top priority of my administration since we first took office in 2018, and we want the availability and opportunity for affordable housing to be there in every city, town and village. The Kingsley House helps us carry out that mission in Westchester, by providing safe and decent housing at a price point our seniors can afford.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
