96-Unit Casanova Residence By The Doe Fund Breaks Ground in Hunts Point

• Construction has officially begun on Casanova Residence, a 96-unit fully affordable housing development in Hunts Point, the Bronx.
• The project, developed by The Doe Fund, will include 58 supportive housing units for formerly homeless residents.
• The development will serve as an early test of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's housing strategy and the city's SPEED task force, which aims to accelerate affordable housing construction.

What the Affordable Housing Project Includes

Ground has officially been broken on Casanova Residence, a new 96-unit affordable housing development in Hunts Point that will provide both permanent affordable housing and supportive services for vulnerable New Yorkers. Located near the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center redevelopment, the project will reserve 58 apartments for formerly homeless individuals while the remaining units will provide affordable housing for low-income residents. The development is being built by The Doe Fund, a nonprofit developer that integrates housing with on-site supportive services designed to help residents achieve long-term stability.

What Makes This Project Important

Casanova Residence is one of the first affordable housing developments to become closely associated with Mayor Zohran Mamdani's housing agenda. The project sits directly across from The Peninsula, the large mixed-use redevelopment where the city's first municipally backed grocery store is expected to open. Together, the developments are intended to help transform a historically underserved section of Hunts Point into a more complete residential community. Beyond the housing itself, the project will also serve as an early test for the city's newly created SPEED task force, an initiative designed to reduce delays in permitting, financing, and construction for affordable housing developments.

What Officials Are Saying

Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged that speeding up affordable housing construction remains a citywide challenge rather than an issue affecting only one neighborhood.

"The issue of expediting construction is not specific to any one location; it is an issue we are seeing across the five boroughs."

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said the project represents a turning point for a neighborhood that has long been overlooked.

"People often counted Hunts Point out, but it was people that stood their ground, that said Hunts Point will not be left behind, but rather that Hunts Point will lead."

The comments reflect the city's broader effort to direct more investment toward the Bronx while accelerating affordable housing production.

What Delayed the Development

Although construction is now underway, Casanova Residence has been years in the making. The Doe Fund purchased the site in February 2020 for $4.3 million, but the project faced delays caused by the pandemic and challenges securing construction financing. According to John McDonald, Executive Vice President of Real Estate at The Doe Fund, financing ultimately came together with support from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) through its Supportive Housing Loan Program, along with additional funding from Raymond James and Webster Bank.

What This Means for Affordable Housing in New York City

Casanova Residence highlights the increasingly important role nonprofit developers are playing in New York City's affordable housing pipeline. As the Mamdani administration works toward its goal of creating 200,000 new housing units, projects like Casanova Residence demonstrate how partnerships between nonprofits, public agencies, and private lenders can help move developments from planning into construction. For Hunts Point, the project represents another major investment in a neighborhood that continues to evolve through new housing, community services, and public infrastructure.