Crisis in The Bronx: Report Reveals Borough Has Greatest Threat to Affordable Housing in New York City

The annual Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development report on affordable housing threat is out and the situation for The Bronx continues to remain dire.

Data for this year’s report are grim: The Bronx has seven of the top ten community boards in New York City that are facing the most threats to their affordable housing as measured by a series of metrics with boards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 12 facing the crisis.

From serious housing violations to eviction rates and number of units per community board set to expire within the next five years, The Bronx leads in virtually every single category.

According to data from the ANHD report, The Bronx has the greatest number of community boards at risk to affordable housing.

According to the data, The Bronx leads New York City with the highest rates of eviction, the most rent burdened residents, tenants making less than the required Area Median Income to qualify for affordable housing, and most residents living in areas with increasing housing prices than any other borough in the city.

In all but one of the aformentioned categories, The Bronx led with seven out of the top ten community boards in New York City.

The report also notes that seven of the top ten community boards with the most service workers are located within The Bronx.

Top 10 Neighborhoods with Greatest Risk to Affordable Housing:

RankCommunity Board/BoroughNeighborhood
1Bronx CB4Highbridge, South Concourse, Mount Eden
2Bronx CB7Kingsbridge Heights, Bedford Park, Norwood, Fordham, University Heights
3Bronx CB5Morris Heights, Mount Hope, Fordham, University Heights
4Brooklyn CB5E New York, Starrett City
5Bronx CB12Edenwald, Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Woodlawn, Eastchester, Baychester, Olinville
6Bronx CB1Melrose, Mott Haven, Port Morris
7Bronx CB3Morrisania, Bathgate, Melrose, Claremont, Crotona Park East
8Brooklyn CB17East Flatbush
9Bronx CB2Longwood, Hunts Point
10Brooklyn CB16Brownsville

This isn’t something that’s new. Each year ANHD releases its report, has shown that The Bronx is the borough with the greatest threat to affordable housing despite the massive amounts of units constructed here.

Affordable housing isn’t permanent and can expire after a set number of years. Should the building owner choose to opt out of the program upon expiration, the units can eventually go to market rate unless the lot was rezoned under the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing zoning which requires a percentage of units to remain permanently affordable.

The report also illustrates something activists have been saying all along: Residents who need affordable housing the most, do not qualify because of the Area Median Income not truly reflecting the local AMI where the units are contructed.

Oftentimes, the income requirements are twice more than the actual local median income.

These are decades old problems which activists have continuously warned and raised the alarm only to be met with resistance or indifference with local elected officials.

This is yet another reason why your vote matters at the ballot box.

You can read the full report here.

Facebook Comments
Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.