CB11 land use committee presses HPD on co-op delays

Two East Harlem buildings cannot begin conversion without a resident vote. At Manhattan Community Board 11’s Land, Housing & Land Use Committee, HPD said residents of 102 East 98th Street and a building on East 127th Street still need to choose sponsors for the Affordable Neighborhood Cooperative Program. Ariel Rawlings, HPD’s ANCP director, said residents now vote from a list of pre-qualified sponsors. That step can add time, but HPD changed the process in response to resident feedback.

ANCP pairs a full building rehabilitation with conversion to a resident-owned cooperative. Existing residents can buy their units for $250 or $2,500, depending on income, without taking out a purchase mortgage. Rawlings said qualifying residents receive rental assistance so their housing costs are about one-third of income. Conversion requires at least 80% of existing residents to complete training, stay current on rent during construction and choose to buy. HPD estimated construction itself takes 24–30 months, following sponsor selection and predevelopment.

Committee members and residents pressed HPD on delays, temporary relocation, maintenance costs and the required use of third-party property managers. HPD said the managers remain mandatory during the 40-year regulatory term, though co-ops can hire or fire them. The committee also heard that 1263 Park Avenue and 51–55 East 129 Street are under construction, while three other buildings remain in predevelopment. The Land, Housing & Land Use Committee chair suggested helping the two remaining TIL buildings separately to keep their next steps from holding each other up.

Manhattan Community Board 11’s Youth & Education Committee began sorting its FY2028 city budget requests by the agency that could act on each one. Members worked from a request worksheet and a longer register, identifying items for the Department of Education, the Department of Youth and Community Development, the School Construction Authority and school facilities staff. The discussion set up the committee’s review and ranking of specific requests.

The Youth & Education Committee chair drew a distinction that matters for school buildings: the School Construction Authority handles major work, such as new buildings or added classrooms, while facilities staff handle maintenance and can often respond faster. DYCD generally covers youth programs, including recreation and prevention efforts. DOE handles education programming. The chair said the committee had directed requests to the wrong agency in past years.

Members also examined a limit on requests for school programs. Principals control school budgets and may decide whether to hire vendors or offer a proposed program, so a DOE request does not necessarily put that program in a classroom. The Youth & Education Committee discussed how School Leadership Teams and UFT chapter leaders help review and shape those school-level choices before members turned to the request list.