MONTICELLO, NY — Two low-income apartment complexes in Sullivan County will receive nearly $9 million in federal loans.

The funding was awarded through the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), the first U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program to prioritize both energy efficiency and climate resilience.

The loans were announced by Alicka Ampry-Samuel, HUD’s regional administrator for New York and New Jersey, in the company of Sullivan County officials and stakeholders. The properties are owned by Conifer Realty and include 110 apartments.  

The program “will make buildings more resilient in severe weather and a changing climate,” Ampry-Samuel said at the announcement on April 9. “The upgrades will preserve affordable housing and provide safer living environments for children and families.” 

Sam Leone, president of Conifer Realty LLC, thanked U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D, NY) and HUD for the funding. “It enables us to continue our mission of offering high-quality affordable housing with a focus on sustainability and energy efficiency,” Leone said. “This investment ensures the long-term success of our communities and aligns well with our commitment to providing high-quality, environmentally conscious housing options for all.”

Barkley Gardens Apartments in Liberty will receive $4 million and Lake View Apartments in Loch Sheldrake will net $4.7 million. A review with a HUD-procured contractor will help decide how the money will be spent.

HUD says retrofitting residences like these will reduce their carbon emissions and make them more resilient to extreme weather while ensuring affordable housing stays affordable. 

Barkley Gardens Apartments

Barkley Gardens is a 51-unit building with a HUD project-based Section 8 contract that assists 50 very low-income households. Fifty eight percent of the residents are disabled and 56 percent are elderly.

Originally built in 2005, this property could be at risk of flooding, lightning and increased social vulnerability, according to the National Risk Index. 

The property will use additional funding sources for a comprehensive renovation, including New York Housing Finance Agency affordable rental housing tax-exempt bonds and low-income housing tax credits.

Lake View Apartments

Lake View Apartments is a 59-unit multifamily building built in 2005. All units are under a HUD Project-based Section 8 rental assistance contract.

The National Risk Index notes Lake View Apartments is in an area that may be exposed to riverine flooding and landslide hazards.

The owners plan to reduce the property’s greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs through energy efficiency measures and renewable energy generation. The retrofit will focus on using building materials with lower embodied carbon and improving residents’ quality of life.GRRP also provides funding for HUD’s benchmarking initiative that will provide Energy and Water benchmarking servicing to HUD-assisted properties to measure usage and efficiency. Owners do not have to receive a grant or loan under GRRP to participate in HUD’s Benchmarking Initiative. Visit the GRRP webpage at www.hud.gov/GRRP for details.