Expanding Affordability
Dear Neighbors,
We wanted to share an important update on Innovation QNS.
Over the last four years, we’ve spoken with thousands of Astoria residents, small business owners, workers, non-profit organizations, faith and civic leaders, and public officials. These conversations shaped the initial Innovation QNS plan that we first shared in July of 2020 and have informed substantial changes since then – from major reductions in the heights of buildings to the addition of active recreation space.
Today, we’re proud to tell you about another change we’re making in response to your feedback: a significant expansion of the breadth and depth of the project’s affordability.
The Innovation QNS team is committing to setting aside 40% of the project as affordable. That is more than 1,100 new affordable homes in Astoria. Notably, more than 500 of these homes will be available at the city’s most deeply affordable “extremely low-income band” (30% AMI).
We’re proud that if approved, Innovation QNS will be the largest privately developed influx of affordable housing in the history of Queens, and will more than triple the affordable housing inventory created in Astoria in recent years – from fewer than 500 units to over 1,600 units.
In addition to expanding the project’s affordability, we’re also committing to hiring at least 30% of the workers from within the local community, and to awarding at least 30% of contracts to minority- and woman-owned business enterprises (MWBE).
For more, please read the Queens Eagle's reporting on these commitments.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to hearing from you in the weeks ahead.
-The Innovation QNS Team
