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After years of incarceration and living in shelters, Joseph Encarnacion (holding scissors) cut the ribbon on his new home, Baez Place, on March 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
Photo by Emily Swanson <\/p>\n
Dozens celebrated the official March 11 opening of Baez Place, an affordable and supportive housing development in the Claremont neighborhood that is offering stability to those who need it most.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The $86 million project at 334 East 176th Street has 154 units, including 64 homes for households earning up to 80% AMI, 32 for seniors and 54 for formerly homeless people with mental health challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The project was developed by Blue Sky Bronx LLC in partnership with the nonprofit Community Access, which is providing onsite services, including counseling, activities and referrals for employment and educational opportunities.<\/p>\n
Baez Place is all-electric and features a community room, teaching kitchen, gym, laundry rooms, lounges, bike room, library\/computer room, outdoor green spaces and an indoor greenhouse.<\/p>\n
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Joseph Encarnacion spoke at the ribbon cutting about how having a stable home has transformed his life. Photo by Emily Swanson<\/p>\n
At the ribbon cutting, Community Access CEO Cal Hedigan began with a moment of silence for Lindon Samuel, an employee with Joy Construction who died on the job site in 2022. Another worker suffered an amputation in the same incident, and the company was ultimately issued a $10,550 fine<\/a>, as reported by THE CITY<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hedigan said Baez Place marks the nonprofit\u2019s tenth project in the Bronx and twenty-first citywide.\n<\/p>\n \u201cSupportive housing in particular continues to prove that when people have a place to call home, along with the services and support they need, they can truly thrive,\u201d Hedigan said.\u00a0<\/p>\n One of those thriving tenants is Joseph Encarnacion, 53, who said having a home of his own seemed felt impossible after six and a half years in prison and sixteen months in shelters.<\/p>\n At the ribbon cutting, Encarnacion said he cried when he got the keys to his studio unit on December 22. \u201cSanta came early for me.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Moving in to Baez Place, staff helped him set up utilities and find a local doctor and answered his questions with respect, he said. \u201cNow I can enjoy the simple things in life,\u201d such as cooking, tending to plants and having his children and granddaughter over to visit, Encarnacion said.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said he works in maintenance and now dreams of starting his own business.\n<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, having a stable home means feeling accomplished. It means the responsibility is on me. Paying my bills, paying my rent and building my future,\u201d Encarnacion said. \u201cThis place changed my life, and I know it changed others.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said she was present for the 2022 groundbreaking and pleased to come back for the opening.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Combining housing with onsite social services is one of the most effective ways to prevent people from cycling in and out shelters, Gibson said. She said buildings like Baez Place are \u201ctransformative\u201d to residents and neighborhoods, fostering self-sufficiency and stability.\u00a0<\/p>\n To the nonprofit, government and private sector partners who made it possible, \u201cThank you for allowing the dreams of our families to come true,\u201d Gibson said.<\/p>\n Osiris Guzman, chair of Community Board 5, also warmly welcomed the new residents. While some supportive housing projects have been vehemently opposed by people living nearby \u2014 most notably, the proposed Just Home<\/a> development on the Jacobi Medical Center campus.<\/p>\n Guzman said that Baez Place \u201crepresents progress.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \u201cYou are part of this community now, and the neighborhood is stronger because you are here,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want you to feel connected, supported and proud to call his neighborhood home.\u201d<\/p>\n Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t