A lottery is open for a mixed-income and supportive housing development in Flatbush. Clarkson Estates, which is under construction, used to be a one-story parking garage next to SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Now it’s set to be a 328-unit eco-friendly center that includes comprehensive services ranging from professional development to child care.
Studios start at $739 per month and one-bedroom apartments at $784, two-bedroom units at $923 and three-bedroom units at $1,051 for qualifying households. The lottery closes March 10.
Here’s what to know.
Applications due: March 10
Address: 329 Clarkson Ave.
Neighborhood: Flatbush (Brooklyn Community Board 9)
Nearby transit: Trains: 2 and 5 at Winthrop St. Station; buses: B12 and B44
Total available units: 163
Rent and income
Rent includes: Heat and hot water
Tenants pay: Electricity, including electric stove
Why it’s affordable
Clarkson Estates is part of New York State’s Vital Brooklyn initiative, a public-private effort aimed at expanding affordable housing, healthcare access and economic opportunity in Central Brooklyn.
Some units are set aside for youth aging out of foster care and formerly unhoused or incarcerated New Yorkers. 20% of units are also set aside for current residents of Brooklyn’s Community Board 9.
The developer, CAMBA Housing Ventures, will provide on-site supportive services, including case management, mental health groups, help with healthcare access and wellness programming.
Amenities to address disparities
This area has some of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure in the state. Central Brooklyn is a food, physical activity and health care desert. It also has high poverty levels and high rates of violence and crime.
That’s why Clarkson Estates’ facilities are slated to include centers for economic development, workforce training, youth education and development, health screenings, violence prevention and mediation, according to CAMBA. The community hub is also set to offer adult education and financial literacy services, a small business incubator, a food pantry, a café, a child care facility and a full-court basketball gym.
Basic amenities will include a 24/7 attended lobby and on-site social services, free building-wide Wi-Fi, a computer room, fitness center, children’s play area and a teaching kitchen. Outdoor spaces will include a wooden walkway, rooftop community garden and landscaped courtyard. The home also features on-site laundry and bike parking. No smoking or pets are allowed.
Why it’s eco-friendly
Clarkson Estates is designed to meet the “Passive House” international building standard for energy and cost efficiency. It applies to voluntarily low-energy, sustainable homes requiring little to no active heating or cooling.
This doesn’t mean you’ll be too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. The architecture itself is supposed to prevent extreme temperatures by being airtight and super insulated and including triple-pane windows and doors with solar protection. Other features include a more efficient ventilation system and a high-efficiency passive heat or energy recovery core, according to the Passive House Network.
To implement this eco-friendly design, the development won funding from the New York State Home and Community Renewal’s Clean Energy Initiative.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by Tuesday, March 10. Submitting more than one application may result in disqualification.
There is no application fee and no broker’s fee. Applicants will not be automatically rejected based solely on credit history or most background check information.
Apply online: Visit
https://housingsearch.hcr.ny.gov/housing/s/waitlist/a0Ycs00001SO6dDEAT/hcr000153 to view eligibility requirements and submit your application.
Request a paper application:
•By email: clarkson@kgupright.com
• By mail:
Clarkson Estates
c/o K&G Upright
P.O. Box 667
Yonkers, NY 10704
The lottery drawing will take place on March 25 at 9 a.m. The drawing determines the order in which applications will be reviewed.
Note: This article has been updated to reflect the correct cost of a one-bedroom apartment.
