Breaking Ground Completes $143 Million Sutphin Senior Housing and Clinic in Jamaica, Queens

Breaking Ground has completed Sutphin Senior Housing and Clinic, a $143 million affordable and supportive housing development at 97-10 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens, New York State Homes and Community Renewal announced. The 15-story building delivers 173 apartments for older New Yorkers and includes a 15,000-square-foot health center operated by Community Healthcare Network, bringing primary and psychiatric care to residents and the surrounding community.

Project Overview and Unit Mix

The development contains 121 apartments for residents age 62 and older with incomes at or below 50 percent of area median income, and 52 supportive-housing units for residents age 55 and older who have experienced chronic homelessness. All 173 apartments receive project-based Section 8 rental assistance administered by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, with residents paying approximately 30 percent of adjusted gross income toward rent.

The unit mix consists of studios and one-bedroom apartments. Nine units are designed to accommodate residents with mobility impairments, and four units are configured for residents with hearing or visual impairments. Building amenities include a multipurpose community room, library, fitness room, computer room, laundry facilities, bicycle storage, free Wi-Fi, and a landscaped outdoor terrace.

The Community Healthcare Network clinic occupies the ground and cellar floors of the building and functions as a federally qualified health center, providing primary medical and psychiatric care to both residents and the broader Jamaica community. Breaking Ground provides on-site supportive services — including case management, employment readiness guidance, and assistance accessing benefits — through a contract administered by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Sutphin Senior Housing and Clinic is Breaking Ground's first permanent residence in Queens and its second development designed to meet rigorous Passive House standards.

Financing Structure

The $143 million development was financed through a layered combination of public subsidies, tax-credit equity, city programs, clean-energy funding, and bank capital. New York State Homes and Community Renewal provided $12 million in direct subsidy and allocated federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits expected to generate nearly $53 million in equity. Capital One provided a $68 million letter of credit and $60 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity.

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance contributed $6.7 million through its Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development provided $15 million through its Senior Affordable Rental Apartments Program. The New York City Council and Queens Borough President together provided $3 million in discretionary support. The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York contributed $1.5 million through its Affordable Housing Program.

The development also received more than $950,000 from the Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

"Opening Sutphin Senior Housing and Clinic marks an important milestone in our work to expand affordable housing that supports the health and well-being of New Yorkers," said RuthAnne Visnauskas, commissioner of New York State Homes and Community Renewal. "These 173 apartments provide older New Yorkers with the stability of an affordable home, while the on-site clinic connects residents and the broader community with essential medical and psychiatric care."

New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said the project would provide "much-needed safe, permanent housing to older individuals who have experienced homelessness, along with direct onsite access to health care and essential support services."

Brenda Rosen, president and CEO of Breaking Ground, said the partnership with Community Healthcare Network allows tenants to access care where they live while expanding health-care resources for the Jamaica neighborhood. "None of this is possible without the commitment to supportive and affordable housing by our partners in government and the private sector," Rosen said.

Sustainability and Design

Sutphin Senior Housing and Clinic was constructed to exceed Passive House standards and is among the most tightly constructed buildings to receive such certification in New York City. The all-electric building features a rooftop solar array, high-efficiency heating and domestic hot water systems, Energy Star appliances, triple-pane windows, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and centralized energy recovery ventilation. The project also incorporates active design principles.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said the clean energy building solutions featured in the development "will help lower energy use while creating a healthier, more comfortable living environment for residents in Queens and supporting the long-term performance of the building."

Location and Market Context

The property is located near Jamaica Station, providing access to the Long Island Rail Road, AirTrain JFK, subway lines, and bus service — a transit-oriented position that supports seniors, clinic users, and supportive-housing residents who may not own vehicles. The surrounding area includes neighborhood retail, health care, and other community resources.

The development's total cost of $143 million translates to approximately $827,000 per apartment, a figure that reflects the layered public and private subsidy structure required to deliver new affordable construction in New York City. Rents affordable to households at or below 50 percent of area median income generally do not support the cost of new construction without public assistance, making programs such as project-based Section 8, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and state homelessness funding central to projects of this type.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal reported that it has created or preserved more than 35,000 affordable homes in New York City under the current administration, including approximately 3,000 in Queens. Sutphin Senior Housing and Clinic is part of Governor Kathy Hochul's five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan, which targets the creation or preservation of 100,000 affordable homes statewide. More than 87,000 affordable homes have been created or preserved under that plan to date.

The co-location of affordable senior housing and a federally qualified health center reflects a broader supportive-housing model in which medical and behavioral-health services are delivered where residents live, while also expanding community health-care capacity beyond the building's tenants.

Sources

New York State Homes and Community Renewal — Project Announcement