- Jul 30
- 2 min read
**The Chelsea Courtyard Compromise: NYC’s New Housing Solution Actually Gets Built**
We’ve all seen them: vacant lots owned by the city, sitting empty for years while everyone argues about what to build. For six long years, that was the story of a lot in Chelsea at 627 West 28th Street.
But today, that story is changing. Construction is officially underway on **The Chelsea Courtyard**, an 80-unit building that represents a first-of-its-kind win for affordable housing in the city.
So, what broke the gridlock? A new city policy called **Mandatory Inclusionary Housing+ (MIH+)**.
**The Old Problem: Why Nothing Was Getting Built**
You might remember the old rule: if a developer wanted to build big, they had to set aside 20-30% of apartments as "permanently affordable." It was a good idea, but in recent years, developers stopped using it. They argued that with skyrocketing construction costs, they simply couldn’t make the finances work without losing money.
The result? Empty lots and endless meetings, but no new apartments for those who need them most.
**The New Solution: MIH+**
Last year, the City Council passed a new tool called **MIH+**. Here’s the simple breakdown:
* **The City Helps:** On city-owned land, the city can now provide a direct cash subsidy to help cover construction costs.
* **The Developer Does More:** In return for that public money, the developer must make **MORE** apartments affordable than the old rules required.
* **Everyone Wins:** The developer can still make a profit, the city gets a project moving, and we get more affordable units.
**The Chelsea Courtyard: By the Numbers**
This project is the first test of MIH+, and the numbers are promising:
* **Total Apartments:** 80
* **Affordable Apartments:** **40** (That's a **50%** set-aside!)
* **Deep Affordability:** The 40 affordable units are split to help a range of incomes:
* **10 units** for households earning **$43,000** or less.
* **20 units** for those earning around **$65,000**.
* **10 units** for those earning around **$86,000**.
The other 40 apartments will be rented at market rate, which helps pay for the affordable ones.
**The Bottom Line**
This isn’t a magic bullet. Some advocates still want 100% affordable buildings on public land. But for years, the perfect has been the enemy of the good. The Chelsea Courtyard proves that **compromise can mean progress.**
It’s a model that finally gets shovels in the ground and families into homes. And in New York City’s housing crisis, that’s a victory worth celebrating.