High Rise, Low Opportunity: The Design Deficit in New York City's Affordable Housing

Abstract

As New York City increases redevelopment efforts throughout New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments, important questions emerge regarding how these transformations affect the daily lives and the long-term stability of residents. Prior research has mainly focused on overall displacement and resident retention, as well as housing quality and living conditions, but doesn’t further explain how these factors relate to NYCHA. In order to better understand the effects of redevelopment on NYCHA residents and neighborhoods, this study examines the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea redevelopment project as a case study. This study conducts a literature review focusing on the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea redevelopment project and a systematic literature review using eighteen peer-reviewed articles to better explore this topic. This study’s findings show that redevelopment projects physically enhance housing quality and living conditions for residents, while also posing risks if residents’ needs are not given a priority. These risks can include the disrupting of social networks, creating issues of affordability, and reinforcing the existing inequalities. In order to create equal and sustainable redevelopment outcomes, the Fulton and Elliott-Chelsea case study emphasizes the significance of balancing physical redevelopment with social, economic, and community considerations.