A housing lottery launched last week for 209 affordable apartments as part of a huge new mixed-use community taking shape in East New York. The available units at 882 Fountain Avenue are part of the second phase of the Alafia development, a new 27-acre neighborhood with thousands of apartments and health and wellness amenities. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 70 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, priced from $830/month studios to $2,745/month three-bedrooms.

Apex Building Group, L+M Development Partners, RiseBoro Community Partnership, and Services for the Underserved (S: US) are developing Alafia as part of New York State’s Vital Brooklyn initiative, a plan to build 4,000 homes in Central Brooklyn and address health and economic disparities.

The site is located in the Spring Creek section of East New York, adjacent to Gateway Center and the 407-acre Shirley Chisholm State Park. Upon completion, Alafia will create about 2,400 affordable apartments on a pedestrian-friendly campus with open space designed by SCAPE.

The campus also has 50,000 square feet of commercial and community facility space, including the new One Brooklyn Health medical facility, more than 20,000 square feet of open and “urban agricultural” space, and several thousand square feet of retail space.

SCAPE will design more than six acres of the open space. The firm incorporated active and passive recreation areas, including a playground, sports court, dog park and community farm, according to their website.

A fitness loop traverses the public park at the center of the complex, while bridges connect to “Community Creek,” a demonstration garden that will operate alongside on-site Meals on Wheels services.

Centered around wellness, Alafia will offer on-site supportive services for vulnerable residents. These will include workforce training for careers in the culinary industry, green jobs and entrepreneurship.

Supportive housing residents will also have access to social services, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral health challenges, youth aging out of foster care, older adults and veterans.

Sustainability is also a key focus, with all residences designed to meet green building standards and feature energy-efficient appliances, including Passive House design principles.

An on-site urban farm will produce up to 180,000 pounds of fresh produce annually. The harvest will be used in Alafia’s food production space, providing residents with access to fresh food.

Nearby public transit options include the B12, B84, and Q8 buses.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the apartments until September 25, 2026. Complete details on how to apply are available here.

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