New York City and The Doe Fund broke ground on August 3, 2026, on the Casanova Residence, a 96-unit affordable and supportive housing development at 658-674 Casanova Street in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. The project will reserve 58 apartments for formerly homeless New Yorkers living with serious health conditions and designate the remaining 38 units as rent-stabilized homes available through the NYC Housing Lottery.
Key Takeaways
- The Casanova Residence will provide 96 apartments: 58 supportive housing units for formerly homeless individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders, or disabling medical conditions, and 38 rent-stabilized affordable units plus one live-in superintendent apartment.
- The Doe Fund will operate on-site services including case management, financial literacy classes, paid work training, legal referrals, and access to its Ready, Willing & Able employment program.
- The project was financed through HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program with additional backing from Raymond James and Webster Bank. The Doe Fund purchased the site in February 2020 for $4.3 million.
- The Mamdani administration is investing $1 billion over two fiscal years in supportive housing, a 60% increase over the previous two-year period, under its Block by Block housing plan.
- The Casanova Residence sits directly across from The Peninsula, a 740-unit affordable housing campus under construction on the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center site, which will also house NYC’s first city-run grocery store.
A 100% Affordable Development on a Site With a Difficult History
The Casanova Residence sits in a pocket of Hunts Point that carries decades of complicated history. Mayor Zohran Mamdani referenced the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, which once loomed over the surrounding blocks and became synonymous with harsh conditions before its closure. The site across the street from the Casanova project is now being redeveloped as The Peninsula, a five-acre mixed-use campus that will ultimately deliver 740 permanently affordable homes, 52,000 square feet of community space, and open outdoor areas.
The NYC Mayor’s Office confirmed that the first city-run grocery store will also open at The Peninsula site before the Casanova Residence is completed. That grocery store is part of the Mamdani administration’s municipal grocery initiative, which promises a 30% discount on core staples including all produce, meat, seafood, and approximately 20 categories of pantry goods. The timing means residents who move into Casanova will arrive in a neighborhood with a new affordable food source already in operation.
The Doe Fund’s Model Pairs Housing With Employment Services
The Doe Fund, which has operated in the Hunts Point community since 2016, brings a service model built around the principle that stable housing alone does not resolve homelessness. The organization’s approach pairs permanent apartments with comprehensive on-site programming designed to help residents build financial independence and maintain long-term stability.
At the Casanova Residence, residents will have access to case management, healthcare coordination, financial literacy workshops, adult education, paid work training, and legal referrals. The building will also connect residents to The Doe Fund’s signature Ready, Willing & Able program, which has helped approximately 15,000 New Yorkers experiencing homelessness secure employment, housing, or both over the organization’s nearly 40-year history.
Jennifer Mitchell, president and CEO of The Doe Fund, noted that the organization currently operates three transitional housing sites serving 660 New Yorkers, along with 12 permanent affordable and supportive housing buildings totaling more than 1,300 apartments. The Casanova Residence is The Doe Fund’s 13th permanent building, bringing its citywide portfolio to more than 1,400 units spanning 1.2 million square feet across the five boroughs. An additional 800-plus affordable and supportive housing units are in various stages of development.
A Long Road From Site Acquisition to Groundbreaking
The Doe Fund purchased the Casanova Street property in February 2020 for $4.3 million. Within weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down New York City, and The Doe Fund’s founder, George McDonald, passed away 10 months later. The project faced additional delays when the organization was unable to secure equity or debt financing even after receiving tax credits from HPD.
John McDonald, the founder’s son and The Doe Fund’s executive vice president of real estate, credited Raymond James and Webster Bank for stepping in to close the financing gap. HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program provided the foundational funding structure, with the two private lenders completing the capital stack. The development team also includes Curtis + Ginsberg Architects and Crescent Builders as the general contractor.
The six-year gap between site acquisition and groundbreaking reflects the broader challenges facing affordable housing construction in New York City. Mayor Mamdani acknowledged this pattern at the ceremony, noting that a rezoning secured by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson in 2018 produced development sites that remain largely unchanged eight years later. The administration’s SPEED Task Force is working to reduce delays across the development pipeline, including a new pilot called MATCH that allows developers to work directly with shelter providers to place formerly homeless households into completed apartments more quickly.
Block by Block and the $1 Billion Supportive Housing Commitment
The Casanova Residence is one component of the Mamdani administration’s Block by Block housing plan, which allocates $22 billion over five years for affordable housing across New York City. Within that figure, the administration has earmarked $1 billion specifically for supportive housing over the next two fiscal years, representing a 60% increase in funding compared to the previous two-year period.
Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg stated that the budget also includes $5 million for a cross-agency task force focused on bringing vacant supportive housing units online faster. The administration has also launched a Supportive Preservation Program to provide dedicated funding and technical assistance for existing supportive housing buildings that require maintenance and capital improvements to continue operating effectively.
The broader housing plan includes a “Spotlight on the Bronx” initiative that targets the borough’s acute housing quality challenges. Bronx Borough President Gibson, who described the Casanova project as The Doe Fund’s 11th affordable housing development in the Bronx, called the investment a recognition that housing in the borough requires homes designed for the specific needs of different resident populations, from working-class families to individuals transitioning out of homelessness.
FAQs
What Is the Casanova Residence in Hunts Point?
The Casanova Residence is a 96-unit affordable and supportive housing development at 658-674 Casanova Street in Hunts Point, the Bronx. The project is a partnership between the City of New York and The Doe Fund. Of the 96 apartments, 58 are designated as supportive housing for formerly homeless individuals with serious health conditions, while 38 are rent-stabilized units available through the NYC Housing Lottery. The building will include on-site social services, workforce development programming, free broadband, a fitness center, and community space.
When Will the Casanova Residence Open?
Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 3, 2026. The city has not announced a specific completion date, though the administration has emphasized on-time delivery as a priority. The building sits across from The Peninsula campus, where NYC’s first city-run grocery store is expected to open before the Casanova Residence is completed.
How Can New Yorkers Apply for Apartments at the Casanova Residence?
The 38 rent-stabilized affordable apartments will be available through the NYC Housing Lottery when the building nears completion. Eligible New Yorkers can monitor listings at housingconnect.nyc.gov. The 58 supportive housing units will be filled through referral processes coordinated between The Doe Fund, the Department of Social Services, and HPD’s supportive housing placement system.
