Loading Content...
Affordable Housing in Kew Garden Hills: LIHTC Impact on a Changing Neighborhood
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Kew Garden Hills, a neighborhood in Queens, New York, has a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing inventory that contributes to its urban landscape. The neighborhood has 271 units in LIHTC funded projects, with 81 designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 47,041 and an estimated 18,023 housing units, LIHTC funded affordable housing comprises approximately 1.5% of the neighborhood's estimated housing inventory.
The LIHTC program has invested in Kew Garden Hills, with project tax credits totaling $1,091,042. This equates to an average federal funding of $4,026 per unit across all LIHTC funded projects in the neighborhood. Affordable housing has been present in Kew Garden Hills for nearly two decades, with the first LIHTC project, Kew Gardens Hills Apts, completed in 2005, and the most recent, Council Towers Vi, finished in 2012.
The 2010s saw the most recent affordable housing development in Kew Garden Hills, with Council Towers Vi completed in 2012, adding 78 units to the neighborhood's affordable housing stock. LIHTC funded projects in Kew Garden Hills offer various unit types. Of the 271 total units, there are 27 efficiencies, 145 one-bedroom units, 80 two-bedroom units, and 19 three-bedroom units. This distribution indicates a focus on smaller households, with over half of the units being one-bedroom apartments.
Over the past decade, Kew Garden Hills has experienced demographic shifts. The population grew from 44,115 in 2013 to 47,041 in 2022, an increase of 6.6%. During this time, the median income rose from $70,219 in 2013 to $73,308 in 2022, a 4.4% increase.
The racial composition of the neighborhood has changed. The Asian population increased from 22% in 2013 to 25% in 2022, while the White population decreased from 48% to 41% during the same period. The Hispanic population grew slightly from 16% to 19%, while the Black population remained relatively stable at around 9-11%. Despite these demographic changes, no new LIHTC projects have been completed in Kew Garden Hills since 2012.
Kew Garden Hills has a modest LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory, covering approximately 1.5% of its estimated housing stock. The neighborhood has seen two LIHTC projects completed between 2005 and 2012, providing 271 units, including 81 low-income units. These projects have received federal investment, averaging $4,026 per unit. The housing mix predominantly consists of one-bedroom units, suggesting a focus on smaller households. While the neighborhood has experienced population growth and demographic shifts over the past decade, no new LIHTC projects have been completed since 2012, indicating potential changes in local housing development patterns or priorities.
