Views from the Northwest Bronx

Just in time to celebrate our 40th anniversary, UNHP is happy to announce that our long-desired goal of installing solar panels in our affordable multifamily buildings is finally in reach thanks to a combination of low-cost programs, tax incentives, and our continued persistence in pursuit of increased sustainability. Seven buildings will move forward with solar in 2023.

2023 marks 40 years since the creation of University Neighborhood Housing Program. It's an exciting milestone and one that we will celebrate and mark throughout the year with a nod to our history, our feet in the present, and our vision looking to the future in special blog posts, board interviews, mission advancement, deeper partner engagement, and an in-person Bronx celebration on April 27th! Keep up to date by visiting this blog post which will be updated throughout the year.

On December 15, 2022, 75 individuals representing 25 banks participated in UNHP's Annual Multifamily Lenders Meeting. UNHP shared the data from our historical Building Indicator Project (BIP) database that tracked a dip in sales values and a rise in distress in multifamily buildings.

UNHP reflects back on the summer events and successes of the Northwest Bronx Resource Center (NWBRC) to bring financial and housing resources to our Bronx community.

UNHP’s Bronx Views: Buildings, Data and Stories Webinar and Fundraiser drew over 100 participants on Thursday, September 15th. Our generous sponsors, a video replay and summary is shared in this post.

“Only in the Bronx,” says someone in the crowd, reflecting on the celebratory official launch of the Bronx People’s Federal Credit Union. The atmosphere is celebratory and festive, but the deep commitment and heartfelt passion held by the Bronx residents and community groups in attendance for financial inclusion, access, and growth was also in the air.

UNHP is checking in with Bronx residents to see how well your bank and/or financial services are working for you. UNHP quiere escuchar de los usuarios de nuestro programa para ver lo bien que su banco y/o servicios financieros estàn trabajando para usted.

Insurance is not a new issue in the Bronx; Redlining in the Bronx was not exclusive to banks as insurance companies also did not write policies for properties in certain neighborhoods. Thanks to organizing efforts in the 1970s, insurance carriers were pressured to write policies and soon found that the Bronx multifamily market was a sound business. Insurance is an issue again in our community as exorbitant premium increases and the lack of carriers threaten Bronx's affordable multifamily housing.

Thanks to roughly $500,000 of funding secured by UNHP through the NYS Weatherization Assistance Program, Edison Arms, a senior-citizen affordable housing development in Bedford Park will undergo a series of energy-saving renovations.

The UNHP Multifamily Research and Action Center has collaborated with the LISC Research and Evaluation team to investigate the effects of speculation in multifamily housing on tenants. Here we share a bit about the process and the role UNHP and our BIP played in this research.