BRC says 626 Pelham Parkway South will be 100% affordable, mostly supportive housing

Kai, director of external affairs for the BRC Residence Committee, told Community Board 11 on June 17 that the nonprofit has acquired 626 Pelham Parkway South and plans to demolish the former Apple Bank building to build a roughly nine‑story, approximately 100‑unit permanent affordable housing development.

Kai said the project is intended to be permanent affordable housing, not a shelter or transitional facility. "This is not a homeless shelter or transitional housing. I just wanna make that clear," Kai said. He described the project as rent‑stabilized apartments with wraparound on‑site services.

Community board members and neighborhood residents pressed the presenter for details about financing, unit mix, selection and services. Kai said about 60% of units would be supportive housing for people with clinical or social‑service needs and that those residents would be referred by the city. The remaining units would be offered through Housing Connect, with a stated community preference; Kai said he could not provide specifics about that preference because of ongoing litigation affecting how preferences are implemented.

According to the presentation, the building was acquired in February 2025. Kai described the planned design approach as "trauma informed" with features such as strong lighting and green space, and said tenants would receive rent‑stabilized leases and on‑site wraparound care. He said the target income threshold for some units is for individuals earning less than $27,000 per year; in his words, that threshold applied to individuals rather than combined household income.

Kai outlined staffing and services the operator expects to provide on site: a clinical supervisor, eight case managers, a health‑care navigator, an activity specialist, 24/7 desk clerks, a residence manager, full‑time operations and maintenance staff and other administrative support. He said BRC would provide 24/7 property management, maintenance and security; the organization estimated typical staffing at similar sites of roughly 30 to 60 full‑time jobs but said the exact count for this site was not finalized.

On financing, Kai said the project will seek funding through HPD affordable housing programs and rental subsidies; he also said project‑based Section 8 vouchers would likely be attached to some units so that a tenant with no income could remain housed and pay 30% of income toward rent. He declined to say whether low‑income housing tax credits or a syndicator are part of the financing package and said he would follow up with committee leadership with the transaction and syndication details.

Neighbors asked about unit size, on‑site clinical facilities and the timeline. Kai said most units would be studios or one‑bedrooms with private bathrooms rather than single‑room‑occupancy (SRO) rooms. He said clinical staff would be on site but that a full health clinic was not planned; transportation to medical appointments could be provided. The presenter estimated a construction timeline of roughly four years and said the earliest occupancy would likely be 2029–2030.

Several speakers — including Wendy (chair of Land Use), Diane Finch (Browns Park East Community Association) and other board members — told the presenter they appreciated the early outreach but requested follow‑up materials: the development team roster, syndicator and lender names, and the project's financial model. Kai said BRC would provide more detailed documents and return with renderings as designs advance.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the project at the June 17 meeting. Kai requested the community board's ongoing engagement and offered to meet quarterly and return with updated plans and financial details.