A developer is working to ensure that NYCHA developments get the upgrades they need.
Over the past year, Dantes Partners has taken on renovations as a part of the NYCHA Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. Estimated at $166 million in renovations, the project is taking place at New York City’s Audubon Houses, Bethune Gardens and Marshall Plaza.
“It’s a mechanism by which we are taking existing public housing houses, securing private funds to make necessary improvements to the properties much more habitable and respectful,” said Buwa Binitie, CEO and Founder of Dumas Collective, parent company of Dantes Partners.
Through the NYCHA PACT program, buildings receive renovations, upgraded property management and on-site social services. Developments are then included in the federal Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which in turn converts them to Project-Based Section 8.
The units involved in the project are getting a complete renovation. From appliances to the light fixtures, Biniie says that the apartments are getting a complete facelift.
“It’s new interior doors, new windows, new flooring, new fixtures, kitchen appliances, making necessary energy efficient improvements to the overall building. And not to mention introducing security features to make people’s lives within the building a lot safer than what it is already,” said Binitie. “We’re modernizing the elevator system, bringing in new laundry systems into the building and generally just improving the overall conditions of the building board into an experience.”
According to Binitie, the renovations in the apartments take about 10-15 days to complete, and residents are still able to access their homes while the repairs are underway.
“You go from living in a somewhat inhumane condition to one where it’s a dignified position to be, you come into a home that functions the way it ought to function, right? You’re coming into a home and you’re not having to worry about whether or not you’re not gonna have any heat come in the time,” said Binitie. “It means the world to [tenants] to finally know that they have a place that they can call a home without worrying about anything.”
Currently, Dantes Partners has completed 40% of renovations across Audubon Houses, Bethune Gardens and Marshall Plaza. According to Binitie, the response from tenants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many being “astonished” at the work that is being done.
“I would say that the feedback has been it is good, I would say for the most part emotional for some residents because folks tend to be very skeptical, right? As they should, I mean, they’ve gone from, they’ve gone from work just not being addressed to promises made about us coming in and giving them brand new units,” said Binitie. “I’m sure you can imagine the skepticism is extremely high. But lo and behold, once you experience that level of renovation, it’s tears in people’s eyes right there. Astonishment is happiness and it’s a lot of gratitude for the work that we put in to help ease their lives a little bit better than what it was previously.”
For more information, visit www.dantespartners.com.
