Preserving Affordable Housing: Navigating the Acquisition of Expiring Use Properties by Nonprofit Community Organizations

The Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) is a nonprofit community development organization based in Harlem. This Capstone project provides a policy analysis focused on expiring use, distressed Section 8 properties. The policy analysis and resulting tools and recommendations will assist ADC and other nonprofit organizations in navigating the process of acquiring expiring use, distressed properties in New York City for the purpose of maintaining them as affordable housing and preventing displacement of residents. The policy analysis is comprised of several components including a literature review of relevant housing policy to date; case studies of expiring use, distressed buildings; a process mapping of the acquisition of expiring use, distressed properties by nonprofits; information gained from interviews with practitioners, academics and local political leaders involved in housing policy; and the perspectives of residents of one of the housing units.