Affordable Housing Development in Monroe County

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of Evergreen East, a $136 million rehabilitation and preservation project that modernized 508 affordable apartments in the village of Fairport in the town of Perinton, Monroe County. Formerly known as the Pines of Perinton, the historic housing community underwent a comprehensive renovation that upgraded 489 existing apartments and rebuilt 19 homes destroyed by a fire in 2022. The project also improved accessibility, upgraded energy efficiency, enhanced outdoor spaces and created a modern community building which will host programming and services for residents. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has invested nearly $850 million to finance more than 6,500 affordable homes in Monroe County. Evergreen East continues this progress and complements the Governor’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

“Preserving the affordable homes we already have is just as important as building new ones, and Evergreen East demonstrates how we can make the most of both approaches,” Governor Hochul said. “This important state investment protects more than 500 affordable homes for the long term while giving New Yorkers the modern, safe, energy-efficient housing they deserve. By making smart investments like this, we are lowering housing costs, expanding opportunity and making New York a more affordable place to live.”

Evergreen East, developed by WinnDevelopment, is a 43-acre community consisting of five two-story residential buildings containing a mix of flats and townhouse-style apartments, as well as standalone community and management buildings. The development includes 36 studios, 206 one-bedroom apartments, 150 two-bedroom apartments, 90 three-bedroom apartments and 26 four-bedroom apartments.

All apartments are affordable to households earning at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. All apartments are now designated as Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units, preserving affordability at the development for at least another 40 years.

The three-year rehabilitation included the gut renovation of 489 apartments, with new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, windows, doors, plumbing, electrical systems and heating and cooling equipment. Across the property, work included the replacement of approximately two miles of roofing, 2,140 windows, almost 2,000 air-conditioning sleeves, 1,090 entry doors and major electrical infrastructure, along with improvements to roads and sidewalks.

Twenty-six apartments were converted into fully accessible homes for residents with disabilities, creating the first ADA-accessible apartments in the property’s more than 50-year history.

The project also rebuilt 19 apartments that were destroyed in a January 2022 fire. The new homes were designed to maintain the historic architectural character of the property while incorporating high-performance, low-carbon building systems and enhanced energy-efficiency measures.

Evergreen East was originally constructed in the 1970s by the New York State Urban Development Corporation and was designed by renowned modernist architectural firm Gwathmey Siegel. The development is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is recognized as an important example of New York’s efforts to create affordable suburban housing communities during the 1970s. The rehabilitation was carefully designed to modernize the property while preserving its distinctive architectural character.

Residents now have access to an extensively renovated 2,200-square-foot community building that hosts resident events and programming focused on youth education, workforce development, adult learning, and other services. The development also includes a full-time on-site community coordinator, refreshed landscaping, new exterior lighting, improved outdoor amenities and a resident association. Throughout construction, residents were temporarily relocated to vacant apartments on the property as needed, and no households were permanently displaced.

Financing for Evergreen East includes a mix of public and private sources, including Federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from HCR that are expected to generate more than $46 million in equity and $35 million in HCR subsidy. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is facilitating an estimated $14 million in federal historic tax credits and $5 million in state historic tax credits. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Fairport Electric provided $600,000 in ENERGY funding. Monroe County provided $300,000 in HOME funding.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Evergreen East is a tremendous example of Governor Hochul’s commitment to protecting affordability and ensuring that existing affordable housing remains a resource for New Yorkers for generations to come. This comprehensive investment has transformed more than 500 homes while preserving their historic architectural character, improving energy efficiency and accessibility, and creating new opportunities and amenities for residents. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with WinnCompanies and all the partners who helped secure Evergreen East’s future as a thriving, affordable community.”

New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “Evergreen East demonstrates how historic preservation can strengthen communities while creating quality, affordable housing. Thanks to Governor Hochul and our partners, this project preserved the community's historic architectural character while improving accessibility, energy efficiency and outdoor spaces. This investment builds on the Governor’s commitment to expanding and preserving affordable housing across the state. With 26 homes now ADA-compliant, Evergreen East will continue providing attractive, accessible and affordable homes for New Yorkers for decades to come.”

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “NYSERDA is proud to support the transformation of the former Pines of Perinton into modern, energy efficient spaces that will serve Monroe County for years to come. The newly completed Evergreen East demonstrates how thoughtful rehabilitations can preserve and enhance New York’s existing housing stock with the latest in clean energy solutions to provide residents with affordable, comfortable and healthy places to call home.”

Assemblymember Jen Lunsford said, “We are pleased to cut the ribbon on these renovations, which were critically necessary. The huge investments put into renovating and restoring this historic property, which accounts for some of the only affordable housing in my entire district, as well as the addition of the supportive services that can now be offered to residents only steps from their door, is already improving the quality of life for residents of this community. I'm grateful to celebrate this new start!”

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, “The successful completion of the Evergreen East renovation is a milestone for Monroe County, preserving vital affordable housing options for more than 500 residents. Safe and affordable housing is essential to the well-being of our community, and none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary collaboration between WinnCompanies, New York State partners and local agencies.”

WinnCompanies CEO Gilbert Winn said, “This project was the largest and most extensive occupied rehab that our company has ever designed and completed, and I am proud of how our teams worked together to make it a success for the residents. Thanks to this effort, we have ensured that Evergreen East will shine as a critical source of quality affordable housing for decades to come. Equally important, we have invested in the resident programs and support systems that ensure that this historic property endures as a vibrant and diverse resource.”

Bank of America Rochester President Colleen Matteson said, “Increasing access to safe and stable affordable housing in our communities will help improve quality of life for individuals and families, and ensure the long-term success of our region. The preservation and modernization of Evergreen East demonstrate the impact of public- and private-sector partnership. Together, we can help reduce housing insecurity, improve stability and build stronger, more resilient communities for years to come.”

Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and livable for all New Yorkers. Since FY23, the Governor has worked to increase housing supply to make housing more affordable by launching a $25 billion five-year comprehensive Housing Plan, enacted the most significant housing deal in decades and implemented new protections for renters and homeowners. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, HCR has created new programs that jumpstart development of affordable and mixed-income homes — for both renters and homebuyers. These include the Pro-Housing Community Program, which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. More than 450 communities throughout the state have been certified Pro-Housing, including the village of Fairport.

As part of FY27 Budget, Governor Hochul secured a number of landmark reforms to New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to speed up housing and infrastructure development and lower costs as part of her “Let Them Build” agenda. “Let Them Build” also includes executive actions to expedite critical categories of projects that have been consistently found to not have significant environmental impacts, but for too long have been caught up in red tape and subject to lengthy delays.

The FY27 Executive Budget completes the Governor’s current five-year Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 87,000 affordable homes have been created or preserved to date. The Executive Budget also invests $250 million in capital funding to accelerate the construction of thousands of new affordable homes.

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