The New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) has announced the winners of its 2017 Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing.
NYSAFAH named winners of the annual Downstate Project of the Year, Upstate Project of the Year and Non-Profit Member of the Year. Honorees will receive their awards at an upcoming ceremony to be held at on November 8 in New York City.
NYSAFAH will also be honoring three individual leaders for their commitment to the cause of affordable housing. These include the Advocate of the Year, the Service Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award, details of which are also listed below.
“NYSAFAH’s honorees are leading the way in confronting New York’s urgent statewide housing crisis,” said Jolie Milstein, president and CEO of the New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH).
“These incredible projects, organizations and individuals demonstrate what we can accomplish when all partners work together to produce quality, affordable homes for low- and middle-income New Yorkers.”
The Downstate Project of the Year is Beach Green Dunes, developed by The Bluestone Organization.
Located in Far Rockaway, Queens, the 101-unit property is 100 percent affordable project and the nation’s largest passive house multi-family building.
The development serves residents with income levels ranging from at or below 50 percent of AMI to at or below 80 percent of AMI. Six of the building’s units are reserved for residents with mobility impairments and another three are adapted for those with hearing or vision impairments.
The Upstate Project of the Year is Tapestry on the Hudson, developed by the non-profit Community Builders Inc.
Tapestry on the Hudson, located in Troy, has transformed a former shirt collar factory, built in 1899, into a 67-unit multi-family residential building that also provides its residents with a high-quality community space and an elevated green space.
DePaul Properties earned the Not-For-Profit Developer of the Year award. Founded in 1958 and based in Rochester, DePaul is committed to creating and operating affordable housing solutions in urban, suburban and rural settings. DePaul provides services including assisted living spaces for seniors, residential support services for those living with mental illness and in some cases, those who have a history of chronic homelessness and addiction.
Jerilyn Perine, Executive Director, Citizens Housing Planning Council, was named Executive of the Year. Perine is an urban planner with 30 years of experience in housing and community development and has served as the Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development under Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg.
Lisa Gomez, COO and Partner, L+M Partners, receives the 2017 Service Award.
Gomez oversees the operations of L+M Development Partners and its affiliated companies. She has more than 25 years of experience in real estate finance and development.
Prior to joining L+M, she was in senior management at the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), overseeing $1 billion annually in bond financing and mortgage insurance.
The Lifeteime Achievement Award goes to Ann Soja, Former President & Co-Founder, First Sterling Financial.
Soja is the co-founder and served as president of First Sterling Financial, which raised more than $1.9 billion in investor equity, supporting more than $3.5 billion of development in 700 properties with over 30,000 rental units in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.
