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In East Brooklyn, aging NYCHA homes get a $636M upgrade
By
Willow Higgins
Published Oct 26, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
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NYCHA and PACT partners
By
Willow Higgins
Published Oct 26, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
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Nearly 3,000 residents of public housing communities in East Brooklyn are now living in renovated apartments, following the completion of $636 million in upgrades by the New York City Housing Authority and its private partners, according to the housing agency.
The renovations were completed at the Reid & Park Rock developments, which span nearly 100 buildings across 15 public housing communities, according to NYCHA.
The work included upgraded kitchens, bathrooms, new flooring and appliances, as well as substantial infrastructure improvements, including modernized heating and ventilation systems, the housing authority said. Developments now also have access to new shared spaces and additional social services.
Heather Beck, NYCHA’s chief real estate officer, said the renovations were decades overdue at some properties. When renovations are complete, she added, the apartments are sometimes unrecognizable.
“ People walk into those apartments and usually cry, or don't believe that it's their old apartment because it's changed that dramatically,” Beck said.
An interior view from Reid & Park Rock developments in East Brooklyn, where NYCHA recently completed $636 million in upgrades and renovations.
NYCHA and PACT partners
The renovations in East Brooklyn represent a mere fraction of the need across NYCHA’s housing inventory. The housing authority is sitting on $80 billion in needed improvements, the projected costs for which grow as the work is delayed, Beck said. More than 16,000 public housing units across the city are currently under construction, according to NYCHA.
“ In the day-to-day, our developments are under-resourced, our residents are living in subpar conditions,” Beck told Gothamist. The agency’s investments, she added, have been in a “downward spiral.”
The Reid & Park Rock project was completed under the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together program, which funds improvements by converting traditional public housing programs to Section 8, which Beck said is a more stable federal subsidy. Private partners help pay for the improvements and manage the projects once they are up and running.
A view from Reid & Park Rock developments in East Brooklyn, where NYCHA recently completed $636 million in upgrades and renovations.
NYCHA and PACT partners
The partners that worked on the East Brooklyn renovations — Fairstead, BRP Companies, Urbane, and the Local Development Corporation of East New York — said in statements that the use of the PACT program was a success.
“The completion of Reid & Park Rock’s renovation demonstrates what is possible when all stakeholders work together with a shared vision and commitment to preservation,” said Fairstead CEO Jeffrey Goldberg.
But some residents said they are already experiencing problems.
Shamica Moore, president of the tenants association of Ocean Hill-Brownsville, one of the Reid & Park Rock developments, said her neighbors have complained about misaligned blinds; closet doors already coming off their hinges; chipping paint; new smoke alarms that go off needlessly, and new floors coming up.
A view from Reid & Park Rock developments in East Brooklyn, where NYCHA recently completed $636 million in upgrades and renovations.
NYCHA and PACT partners
“The tiles bubble up and they are telling us that they are floating tiles,” Moore said. “Which is absurd.”
Moore, a 15-year resident of the complex, said there should be more oversight of the work.
“We would have liked to see longer ongoing presence onsite during renovations and more follow-up inspections,” Moore said. “There is power in the follow-up. It prevents future mishaps and stops certain situations before they get worse.”
A NYCHA spokesperson told Gothamist in a statement that the agency will act as an oversight body for PACT properties. That includes conducting site visits, working with PACT partners in responding to issues and concerns, and monitoring improvements.
Residents should report issues to their management company as soon as issues arise, the spokesperson advised.
A representative from Reid & Park Rock management said in a statement that it’s accountable for the state of the homes after construction is complete. The company said the repairs are built to last and that they will work to address wear and tear
NYCHA is looking to include 62,000 more apartments across the city in the PACT program, the housing authority said.
A view from Reid & Park Rock developments in East Brooklyn, where NYCHA recently completed $636 million in upgrades and renovations.
NYCHA and PACT partners
Living in a construction zone can be invasive. Moore said construction was going on in her development for three years, which raised health issues for her son, who has asthma.
Beck said residents oftentimes have to temporarily vacate their apartments and move into a nearby unit while the repairs are ongoing, sometimes for months at a time.
This was the case for more than 40% of Reid & Park Rock residents, according to Michael Horgan, a press secretary for NYCHA. Beck said some projects require everyone to be displaced.
Trusting the process is often scary, Beck said, and trust takes time to build.
Moore said she appreciates the new management company stepping up to the plate, and she plans to hold them to their promises.
“The sun is just peeking through the windows, child,” Moore said. “We got a lot of work to do.”
Tagged
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new york city
nycha
Willow Higgins
Willow Higgins covers changes in New York City neighborhoods for WNYC and Gothamist. She has previously reported on wrongful convictions, corruption in district attorney offices and Texas' child welfare system.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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