{"id":269710,"date":"2026-06-17T16:36:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/269710\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T16:36:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:36:45","slug":"new-city-program-aims-to-preserve-supportive-housing-for-homeless-and-vulnerable-new-yorkers-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/269710\/","title":{"rendered":"New city program aims to preserve supportive housing for homeless and vulnerable New Yorkers \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) announced the launch of the Supportive Preservation Program (SPP)<\/a> on June 16, a new initiative aimed at preserving and strengthening housing for some of the city\u2019s most vulnerable residents.<\/p>\n

Patrick Love, deputy commissioner of development at HPD, made the announcement at Park Avenue Thorpe on East 184th Street.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re announcing here today is a commitment to supportive housing in New York City and the New Yorkers who rely on it,\u201d Love said, adding that when it comes to addressing the challenges of homelessness, poor mental and physical health and exiting incarceration, \u201cThe supportive housing model is a model that works.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

SPP will establish a dedicated supportive housing preservation team and expand eligibility for rental assistance at developments undergoing rehabilitation.\n<\/p>\n

Rachel Levine, executive director of Nazareth Housing, which operates Park Avenue Thorpe, said the building will soon be rehabilitated and modernized under the new program, allowing more resources to be devoted to services.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nearly 40 years ago, nuns transformed the 1930s-era building into 20 supportive units for families experiencing homelessness, she said. Today, it also operates a food pantry and case management services for Park Avenue Thorpe residents and those elsewhere in the Bronx.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis building has provided far more than shelter. It has provided safety, dignity and the foundation upon which families can rebuild their lives,\u201d Levine said. \u201cThis building stands as a testament to what is possible when government, nonprofit organizations and communities work together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

A tenant named Ms. Ocampo also spoke at the press conference about the need to ensure that supportive housing developments remain strong.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

She said she moved in last July after nearly two years with her son in a domestic violence shelter. At Park Avenue Thorpe, Ocampo said she receives help with food and other necessities in a \u201cwelcoming, loving and supportive\u201d environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first got my keys, I knew God answered my prayers,\u201d she said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Tierra Labrada, director of policy for the Supportive Housing Network of New York, applauded the Mamdani administration for instituting the first such program funded and maintained by the city.<\/p>\n

Nearly 20% of the supportive housing stock has been operating for more than a decade, often in buildings that are at least 50 years old, Labrara said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will not mitigate homelessness in the city if we focus only on the shiny, new thing. We have to protect the decades of investment the city has already committed to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia, who represents the district that includes Park Avenue Thorpe, echoed that sentiment. \u201cWe know that preservation has to be a core part of how we address the city\u2019s housing crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

The SPP program will ensure good stewardship of the buildings that house New Yorkers most in need, Tapia said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cA leaky roof or a broken elevator is not a minor inconvenience. It is a threat to their safety and their dignity,\u201d she said. \u201cOur residents deserve safe, stable homes, and I will not stop fighting until every family in the Bronx has one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

SPP was included in Block by Block<\/a>, the Mamdani administration\u2019s wide-ranging housing plan focused on preserving existing housing, including NYCHA and old rent-stabilized buildings, along with increasing homeownership and protecting tenants\u2019 rights.\u00a0<\/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