Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on new housing project in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Habitat for Humanity NYC is building hope and new homes in Brooklyn.

Officials broke ground for their innovative scattered-site plan to create an affordable housing oasis.

For Brena Bracy-Seals, affordable housing from Habitat for Humanity has been nothing short of a "superpower" that transformed her life. She has lived in a Habitat home on Atlantic and Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn for the past 15 years.

"It has been very impactful for sustainability, partnership networks, allowing me the opportunity to build, continue education, change the community values, principles, and policies when needed to improve sustainability and affordability for all," Bracy-Seals said.

Her comments came as Habitat for Humanity NYC and Westchester held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for their latest affordable housing development called Mosaic - a $33 million project that will create 42 affordable housing cooperative units across 13 sites in Brooklyn.

Diana Reyna, Vice Chair of Habitat NYC's board, acknowledged the challenges of this scattered-site approach but highlighted its innovative nature.

"This has been a long journey," Reyna said. "The sites are so dispersed and it makes it challenging for construction schedules. They have challenging environmental issues. They have unique lot sizes - no two lots are the same."

"The opportunities to bring these lots together, cluster them, then design for them around their lot lines is complex," she added.

Despite delays from the pandemic, rising costs, and inflationary pressures, Reyna expressed excitement that the groundbreaking day finally arrived after years of planning.

The 1-3 bedroom Mosaic homes will be available to families making between 66% and 90% of the area's median income. State and local officials attended the ceremony to lend support.

Genese Morgan from Brooklyn Community Board 16 said, "When this project came to our community board, we definitely welcomed it because we knew members of our community would be the beneficiaries of the units."