95-Unit Affordable Housing Development Finished In Hempstead, Governor Announces

HEMPSTEAD, NY — The Village of Hempstead is home to 95 new, affordable apartments after construction concluded this week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday.

The Governor’s office said the $72 million, five-story development, dubbed “Estella Housing,” would be home to the 95 affordable units, including 42 earmarked for vulnerable people and homeless veterans. The new building, officials said, is part of a statewide affordable housing push that has already “created or preserved more than 1,600 affordable homes in Nassau County.” The goal, the governor’s office said, is to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes over a five-year timespan.

“Nassau County needs affordable housing opportunities that are close to transit, jobs, and essential services, and that provide long-term stability for individuals and families,” Hochul said. “Estella Housing showcases our efforts to make communities like Hempstead more affordable and how we can support our most vulnerable New Yorkers, so they have access to the services they need to thrive.”

The new building sits at the corner of Main Street and Bedell Street in Hempstead, on a plot that was formerly a bus parking lot. The apartments in it will be priced at a rate affordable to households at or below 60 percent of the area median income, with one apartment set aside for a super.

As for the 42 “vulnerable individual” apartments, 30 of them will be supported through the state office of mental health’s Community Residence Single Room Occupancy program, while the final 12 will be funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative award, also under the office of mental health. 11 of the building’s apartments will be accessible for residents with mobility impairments, while four will be outfitted for residents with impaired hearing or vision, officials said.

“The housing crisis in Nassau County is leaving families and the most vulnerable in our community without options to put a roof over their heads. That's why innovative projects like Estella Housing are so important,” Congresswoman Laura Gillen said Monday. “These affordable homes will provide stability and opportunity for hundreds of Long Islanders. I will continue working across the aisle in Congress to ensure the federal government does more to bring costs down.”

In addition to the apartments, officials said the development will feature over 5,000 square feet of community space on its ground floor, including a community room, fitness center, laundry facilities and a courtyard garden.

For Hempstead’s mayor, Waylyn Hobbs Jr., the development signaled an important step in the village’s development.

“Revitalizing downtown Hempstead is not just a goal - it is a commitment,” Hobbs said. “As Mayor, I am dedicated to creating a thriving, vibrant community. Estella Housing represents the kind of smart investment we need, and this project is another step forward in building the Hempstead our community deserves.”

Hochul's office did not say when tenants would be able to move into the units Monday.