Directory of New York City Affordable Housing Programs
| Program (?) | Special Initiatives Program |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | SIP |
| Benefit Classification (?) | |
| Supply or Demand | Supply |
| One-Time or Ongoing | One-Time |
| Benefit Type (?) | Property |
| Government Agency (?) | NYC Dept of Housing Preservation and Development |
| Program Information (?) | |
| Scale | Medium Scale (between 1,000 and 4,999 units produced) |
| Timeframe | 1986-1993 |
| Developer/Owners (?) | Non-Profit, Government |
| Property Information (?) | |
| Property Occupancy | Vacant |
| Property Type | Land, Building, City-Owned |
| Building Type | Multi-family |
| Construction Type | Rehabilitation |
| Occupant Tenure (?) | Rental |
| Occupant Income Restrictions (?) | Extremely Low-Income, Low-Income, Moderate-Income |
| Other Targeting Information (?) | Set aside for homeless units |
| More Information | West Harlem Group Assistance, Inc. |
The Special Initiatives Program (SIP) was a turnkey program to develop vacant city-owned property where either HPD or the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) supervised private contractors during construction, and then conveyed ownership of all newly-constructed or rehabilitated buildings to qualified non-profit sponsors. Originally, 100 percent of the units were reserved for homeless residents, but HPD later modified the program to require a mix of 60 percent homeless, 20 percent low-income, and 20 percent moderate-income households. The formerly homeless population was eligible for Section 8 vouchers, and the rent revenue from Section 8 residents not only covered building maintenance costs, but also provided a revenue stream which allowed non-profit sponsors to make social services available to the residents.
