Habitat for Humanity New York City and Westchester County announced the first sale of a home in an affordable housing development in southeast Queens on Friday, Nov. 21.
This is the first sale among 16 permanently affordable homes in the development, which is intended to provide families with the stability and security of homeownership while ensuring long-term affordability through the Interboro Community Land Trust (CLT).
The home was acquired by first-time homeowners Sakina and Charles P. With the sale closed before Thanksgiving, they will be able to celebrate the holiday season as homeowners for the first time.
“Having the opportunity to own a home with my family is stepping into a space God prepared for our growth and peace,” Sakina and Charles said.
The affordable housing development is replacing 13 properties that were vacant and dilapidated. The 16 new homes will all be energy-efficient and built to meet EnterpriseGreen Communities Criteria, while also incorporating Passive House elements. Heating and cooling demand will be reduced by as much as 90% in each home and by up to 75% overall. Annual energy consumption will be kept to close to net zero thanks to the solar panels.
“Today’s closing is a milestone for Habitat, Interboro CLT, and most importantly for Sakina and Charles, who will be in their new home for the holidays,” Habitat of NYC and Westchester CEO Sabrina Lippman said. “This project is about more than building houses—it’s about creating lasting affordability and stability through the Interboro Community Land Trust. By combining sustainable design with a model that protects affordability for generations, we’re proving that homeownership can be both attainable and transformative for New York families.”
Partners that helped make the development and the sale of this home possible include the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the New York City Housing Authority, the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation, the State of New York Mortgage Agency, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams, Former Council Member Daneek Miller, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Interboro Community Land Trust and several other donors and volunteers.
“Interboro celebrates with our founding partner Habitat and the new homeowners on the historic purchase of the first of 16 new-construction single-family homes, the first ever to go on a community land trust in NYC,” Interboro Community Land Trust Director John Edward Dallas said. “These homes are a much-needed dream-come-true of permanently affordable homeownership, wealth building and climate friendliness all in one. Congratulations and gratitude to the many who made this NYC dream a reality in southeastern Queens!”
