Views from the Northwest Bronx

The foreclosure crisis for homeowners that precipitated the 2008 recession continues to be a daily source of stress, confusion, and financial hardship for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and Bronx homeowners are no exception.

On June 15th, UNHP, over fifty guests and our panelists concluded our #ViewsNWBX blog series with breakfast, a presentation and discussion of the emerging community development and affordable housing issues raised in our locally-focused on-line essay series.

UNHP delivered our free financial and affordable housing services to 71 Bronx bank customers at six branches, attended the Grand Openings of three new Bronx bank branches and assisted 69 Bronxites at two off-site events in the past 5 months.

UNHP is sharing the northwest Bronx views of neighborhood residents, community leaders, Bronx community development professionals and UNHP board members.

UNHP is sharing the northwest Bronx views of neighborhood residents, community leaders, Bronx community development professionals and UNHP board members.

Views from the Northwest Bronx is a blog series aimed at framing an inclusive and informed discussion on issues affecting the affordability and viability of Northwest Bronx neighborhoods today. While the topics addressed in the series are by no means exhaustive, the data presented and analysis offered sheds light on many of the key issues.

​Judi Kende, Vice President and New York Market Leader for Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., authored this post. Enterprise creates and preserves quality affordable homes, incubates programs, and scales these solutions through policy change.

Sheila Garcia, Deputy Director at Community Action for Safe Apartments (CASA), authored this post, with contributions from UNHP staff. CASA’s mission is to protect and maintain affordable and safe housing through collective action. The Bronx Coalition for a Community Vision believes rezoning and development on Jerome Avenue in the Bronx is possible without displacement, if guided by four principles: real affordable housing, real community engagement, union jobs and local hire, and strong anti-harassment and anti-displacement policies.

John M. Reilly, Executive Director at Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation (FBHC), authored this post, with contributions from UNHP staff. FBHC strives to provide safe and sound housing at affordable rates for low- to moderate-income families.

Appraisals are sometimes viewed as just another item on a development deal’s to-do list. But far from being innocuous and inconsequential, appraisals based on recently overvalued properties and questionable net income projections can have a major impact on rental prices, ownership incentives, and housing affordability.