Where are the Densest Low-Income Housing Projects?
The distribution of affordable housing in New York City reveals significant disparities across different neighborhoods and boroughs. This uneven distribution affects the overall urban landscape and the density of individual housing projects. So, where are the densest low-income housing projects in NYC? Let us explore using NYC Open Data and Tableau.
Impact on Housing Project Density
The uneven distribution of affordable housing leads to varying densities of low-income units across different complexes:
- Some areas have large-scale developments with high concentrations of affordable units. For example, ZIP Code 10475 (Co-Op City) in the Bronx has over 4,000 low-income units, suggesting the presence of large housing complexes.
- Other neighborhoods may have smaller, more dispersed affordable housing projects, allowing for mixed-income communities.
Consequences of Uneven Distribution
This disparity in affordable housing distribution has several implications:
- Socioeconomic segregation: Areas with high concentrations of affordable housing may experience increased poverty concentration, potentially limiting economic opportunities for residents.
- The lack of local resources: Neighborhoods with dense, affordable housing projects may face increased pressure on public services, schools, and infrastructure.
- Limited access to opportunities: The concentrated affordable housing in certain areas may restrict low-income residents’ access to job markets, quality education, and other resources available in more affluent neighborhoods.
The disparities in affordable housing distribution in NYC highlight the need for more balanced development strategies that promote mixed-income communities and equitable access to resources across all boroughs. Addressing these imbalances is crucial for creating a more inclusive and sustainable urban environment.
Affordable Housing Production by Building Dataset
The dataset used for this project, “Affordable Housing Production by Building,” provides a comprehensive view of affordable housing units across New York City. Obtained from the NYC Open Data portal, this dataset is maintained by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). It is updated annually, covering affordable housing projects from Fiscal Year 2014.
The data offers information about each affordable housing project, including crucial details such as project and building identification, geographic location, and unit counts categorized by income level and bedroom size. This granular level of detail allows for a nuanced analysis of the distribution and characteristics of affordable housing throughout the city’s five boroughs.
For this research, the dataset required significant cleaning and preparation. This process involved handling missing values, standardizing formats for fields like postcodes and addresses, removing duplicates, and ensuring proper formatting of numerical fields. The data was then pivoted to aggregate information by geographic area, enabling a clear view of the distribution of affordable housing units across different neighborhoods.
This concentration of affordable housing in particular areas raises essential questions about equity in housing distribution and the potential impacts on community development. The data allows for examining how this concentration might affect access to resources, economic opportunities, and overall quality of life for residents in these areas. Furthermore, the dataset enables an analysis of the types of units provided, from extremely low to middle income, offering insights into how well the affordable housing stock matches the needs of low-income families of various incomes. This information is crucial for policymakers and urban planners in addressing housing needs and promoting more balanced community development.
Distribution of Affordable Housing by ZIP Code
The choropleth map visualizes the distribution of affordable housing units across New York City’s zip codes. Darker shades on the map indicate a higher concentration of affordable housing units in those areas. The map reveals that the Bronx and certain parts of Brooklyn have the highest affordable housing density, with some zip codes containing over 3,000 units.
Manhattan shows a more varied distribution, with some areas having high concentrations and others relatively few units. Queens and Staten Island generally have lower concentrations of affordable housing than the other boroughs. This visualization effectively highlights the geographical disparities in affordable housing availability throughout the city, showcasing areas where such housing is more prevalent and where it may be lacking.
The bubble scatter plot visualization provides an overview of the distribution of affordable housing units across New York City’s Boroughs. Each bubble represents a borough, with the size of the bubble corresponding to the number of affordable housing units in that area. The plot reveals significant disparities in the concentration of affordable housing, with some zip codes having notably larger bubbles, indicating a higher number of units.
The Bronx and parts of Brooklyn appear to have the highest concentrations, as evidenced by the larger bubbles clustered in these areas. In contrast, areas of Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island generally show smaller bubbles, suggesting fewer affordable housing units.
The bar chart visualization illustrates the distribution of affordable housing units across New York City’s boroughs by ZIP Code. The Bronx emerges as the clear leader, with the highest concentration of affordable housing units, followed closely by Brooklyn.
Manhattan shows moderate, affordable housing, while Queens and Staten Island have fewer units. This stark contrast highlights the uneven distribution of affordable housing across the city, with certain boroughs bearing a much larger share of the affordable housing stock. The visualization underscores the need for a more balanced approach to affordable housing development, potentially indicating areas where policymakers and urban planners might focus future efforts to create a more equitable distribution of affordable housing options throughout New York City.
Examining Density in Individual Housing Projects
I created a story in Tableau that visualizes bar charts across various incomes, showing the top 10 densest affordable housing complexes. Many of the most low-income, densest housing complexes are in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and East Harlem.
Extremely Low-Income Units are units with affordable rents to households earning 0 to 30% of the area median income (AMI). The densest housing complex with the highest number of extremely low-income units is the Diego Beekman Apartments, which comprise three apartment buildings in Mott Haven, the South Bronx. The second densest apartment complex is the Morissiannia Multifamily Portfolio apartment building in Morrissania, the South Bronx.
Very Low-Income Units are units with affordable rents to households earning 31 to 50% of the area median income (AMI). Low-income units are units with affordable rents to households earning 51 to 80% of the area median income (AMI). Co-Op City is the densest housing complex with the highest number of very low-income and low-income units. It is one of the largest cooperative housing complexes in the city.
Moderate Income Units are units with affordable rents to households earning 81 to 120% of the area median income (AMI). The densest are the Atlantic Plaza Towers near Broadway Junction. Moderate Income Units seem to be spread throughout the city, with no apparent pattern. However, the majority are in Brooklyn.
Middle-income units are units with affordable rents to households earning 121 to 165% of the area median income (AMI). Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village are the densest affordable housing complexes for middle-income people in NYC. There is a large stock of middle-income units, which may be because it is easier to finance and operate without deep subsidies, creating more units overall.
As a result, while Stuyvesant Town’s affordable units may be classified as “middle income,” they likely remain out of reach for many low-income New Yorkers, highlighting the ongoing challenges in addressing affordable housing needs across all income levels in the city. The distribution of affordable housing in NYC is anything but equal, and the density of each apartment complex represents this disparity.
The Bronx and Brooklyn Lead in Affordable Housing Density
The concentration of affordable housing in the Bronx and Brooklyn is not a coincidence but a result of complex historical and socioeconomic factors. The data shows these two boroughs have the highest housing stock and the densest affordable housing buildings in New York City.
This distribution pattern can be traced back to the practice of redlining in the 20th century. Redlining, a discriminatory practice that denied services to residents of specific areas based on race or ethnicity, effectively segregated communities and concentrated low-income, often minority populations in particular neighborhoods. The effects of this practice are still visible today in the deep pockets of affordable housing complexes in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
Environmental racism may also be a contributing factor to this concentration. Historically, low-income and minority neighborhoods have been disproportionately burdened with environmental hazards and lack of investment. This has made land in these areas less desirable for high-end development but more available for affordable housing projects.
The persistence of this pattern raises essential questions about equity, access to resources, and the perpetuation of historical injustices. While affordable housing is crucial, its concentration in specific areas can reinforce existing socioeconomic challenges and limited opportunities for residents.
Moving forward, policymakers and urban planners must grapple with these complex issues. The goal should be to create a more equitable distribution of affordable housing across all boroughs, promoting mixed-income communities and ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to safe, affordable housing and the opportunities that come with it. This will require addressing not just housing policy but also tackling the broader issues of systemic racism and economic inequality that have shaped our cities for generations.
