2 Non-Profits Key to One Flushing Success

Yesterday, the city decided to move forward with a proposal that fully reflects its priority on comprehensive neighborhood development. A municipal parking lot in Queens is now slated to become a truly groundbreaking development – 208 units of green affordable housing with room and support for local businesses and innovative community uses. And what’s making this possible are the two not-for-profits, each with deep roots in Queens, who are involved in the development.

These non-profits, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) and the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee (HANAC), are both thinking about a lot more than just building housing with this development. For instance, HANAC will open an office for weatherization services in the new building, allowing them to help more low-income households in Queens save money on energy costs. And AAFE will use $2 million from its community development fund to provide loans to local small businesses involved in the project, allowing neighborhood entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow and build a vibrant commercial corridor. Add to that a rooftop garden & community terrace, as well as solar panels & other cutting-edge green components, and you don’t just get a new building, you get an amazing new community asset.

These non-profits, Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) and the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee (HANAC), are both thinking about a lot more than just building housing with this development. For instance, HANAC will open an office for weatherization services in the new building, allowing them to help more low-income households in Queens save money on energy costs. And AAFE will use its community development fund to provide loans to support small businesses involved in the project. Add to that a rooftop garden & community terrace, solar panels & other cutting-edge green components, and a vibrant commercial corridor geared toward neighborhood businesses, and you don’t just get a new building, you get an amazing new community asset.

And when it comes to the housing component, One Flushing is a model of the kind of vibrant, integrated communities we want to build – in addition to being a mixed-income building, it’s a mixed-generation building as well – one of the first ones done in New York City. Senior Housing, Affordable Family Housing, and a Day Care facilities will all be located in the same development, allowing for people of all ages to interact and be a valued part of a larger community.

This is something that only CDCs can bring to the table – a commitment to building communities, not just housing. Thinking about development as a way to improve the lives of people in our neighborhoods, not just in terms of dollars and cents.

And unlike regular affordable housing development, since the long-term stewards of the property are mission-driven community organizations, we can count on this development staying a community asset, and remaining affordable for the next generations, not just this one.

The city has increasingly few sites left it can use for large-scale development. It’s important that they chose the right stewards for them – CDCs that are committed to building communities, and mission-driven to keep the property affordable for the long-term. AAFE and HANAC are just two of many in New York City – with so many great non-profits committed to comprehensive neighborhood development and providing permanently affordable housing, it’s important we continue to get these decisions right.