East Flatbush just picked up a major win for older New Yorkers. Bethany Senior Terraces, a new four-story, all-electric affordable housing building for seniors, is now open, bringing 57 apartments for residents 55 and older to the neighborhood. That includes 18 homes with on-site supportive services for people who have experienced homelessness, and officials marked the moment with a Friday ribbon-cutting. The building comes with outdoor terraces, a community kitchen paired with a hydroponic greenhouse, and social spaces on every floor.
State officials said the $48 million project was financed with a mix of federal and state low-income housing tax credit equity and public subsidy. According to New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the package included roughly $14.4 million in LIHTC equity, $7.8 million in state subsidy, $716,000 from NYSERDA, and $9.3 million from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. “Every New Yorker deserves a safe and affordable place to age with independence and stability,” Governor Kathy Hochul said in the state announcement.
The development was created and will be operated by RiseBoro Community Partnership, which is offering on-site case management, health coordination, and recreational programming intended to help seniors age in place instead of being pushed out or institutionalized. RiseBoro’s project page highlights a stepped series of residential terraces that lead to a large common garden, along with storage, laundry, and interior social rooms on each floor. The New York State Department of Health is providing operating funding for the supportive apartments through an Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award.
Units, Accessibility And Supportive Services
The building has 45 studios, 12 one-bedroom apartments, and one superintendent’s unit, and all apartments are reserved for households earning at or below 50 percent of area median income. According to New York State Homes and Community Renewal, five units are designed for mobility impairments and two are outfitted with sensory accommodations, and 18 apartments will receive on-site supportive services. Officials say the project replaces long-vacant structures owned by the Bethany Methodist Home for the Aged and sits mid-block between Avenue D and Foster Avenue.
Design And Energy
The fully electric building was designed to meet 2020 Enterprise Green Communities Plus and Passive House standards, which means high efficiency and low energy use. The design incorporates energy recovery ventilation, LED lighting, and Energy Star appliances. NYSERDA recognized the project as part of its Buildings of Excellence program and provided both technical and financial support for the all-electric strategy. Rooftop infrastructure is already in place to support a future photovoltaic canopy, part of the plan to keep long-term operating costs down for residents.
How It Was Built
The project used modular construction, with prefabricated units assembled on site to tighten the construction schedule and cut neighborhood disruption. Designer Paul A. Castrucci has documented a “loop” of terraces and exterior stairs that ties together interior social spaces on each floor, a layout intended to echo traditional porch culture and make casual neighborly interaction more likely. The modular, high-performance approach helped the team hit Passive House targets while holding down costs and time on site.
Why It Matters
Officials framed the opening as one piece of a broader state push to expand affordable, climate-resilient housing. The Governor’s five-year, $25 billion housing plan aims to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes, according to the Governor's Office. By pairing deeply affordable rents with supportive services and low-carbon construction, Bethany Senior Terraces is intended to help seniors age in place while reducing energy burdens. City and state officials say they see the East Flatbush building as a model for similar projects across Brooklyn and beyond.
RiseBoro lists Bethany Senior Terraces as operating on its project page and will run on-site services and resident programming. Prospective applicants or community partners looking for more information can contact RiseBoro or check state affordable-housing listings for details on eligibility and services. Local leaders at the ribbon-cutting said the building represents a rare alignment of housing, health, and climate goals for the neighborhood, and they made clear they would like to see more projects just like it.
