Community Board members and residents press for clarity as HPD details supportive‑housing plan for 626 Pelham Parkway South

At a Community Board 11 Housing and Land Use meeting, residents and board members sought clearer information about a proposed supportive‑housing project at 626 Pelham Parkway South, pressing city officials on unit design, financing and rent protections.

The board questioned how many units would be permanently affordable and what funding the developer — identified in the meeting only as "BRC" in public remarks — would use. "The application for 626… they are asking for financing through our supportive housing loan program," said Ted (HPD official), who answered community questions during the meeting. He described the typical breakdown for HPD’s supportive‑housing loans as about 60% of units for people exiting shelters and 40% for the general population, and said projects financed through HPD programs are generally required to provide rent‑stabilized leases.

Why it matters: Neighbors and community leaders said misinformation about the project’s size and model has stoked anxiety about safety, services and long‑term tenancy. Speaker Jenny Lopez urged the board to note concrete differences between a nearby completed project and the proposal, saying, “All the units at 2330 Bronx Park East have kitchens inside each unit… The proposal that BRC has put up does not provide a private kitchen in each unit,” and warned that operational problems at some providers can spill into the neighborhood.

HPD’s explanation and limits Ted said the Pelham Parkway proposal is not approved and that HPD’s involvement depends in part on whether the developer seeks city financing. "If they're not interested in using our financing, we would not officially be [involved]," he said, adding that some city financing programs require a percentage of units to be affordable. He also reiterated that projects financed through HPD’s programs typically provide rent‑stabilized leases: "If they wanna live there for 40 years, they can live there for 40 years."

Community concerns and requests Public commenters called for greater outreach and at least one resident who identified herself as chair of the Bronx Park East Community Association urged calmer, clearer information sharing so neighbors could compare the proposed model with existing buildings. Several commenters also asked whether use of public financing would trigger local labor or contracting requirements; Ted said he was not familiar with the "Construction Justice Act" as referenced by a commenter and offered to follow up.

What remains unresolved HPD officials and board members did not announce a public hearing or a board vote on 626 Pelham Parkway South during the meeting. Multiple residents requested more detailed project materials (construction plans, staffing and funding breakdowns) and a clear contact at HPD; officials offered to provide follow‑up but did not supply full financing line‑item sources at the meeting.

Next steps Community members asked the board to press HPD and the developer for written financing sources and a point of contact, and to circulate factual comparisons with similar buildings. The board adjourned without scheduling an additional hearing on 626 Pelham Parkway South during that session.