Imagine your landlord is a developer who is  going through the process to get approval from the city to tear down your five story walk-up to build a 16 story apartment on a formerly gas station site with no supporting infrastructure. That is exactly what’s about to happen if the New York City Council passes Phipps Houses Sojourner Truth Rezoning application.


In 2017, Phipps Houses asked the Community for support to rebuild Lambert Houses. Promising to bring back the current tenants, offer 100% affordable rents, build a school, among other promises. After much negotiation, the City committed to $600 million investment plus granted Phipps permission to build higher. However, critical promises made to Community Board 6 and the New York City Council were not fulfilled.

According to Phipps, “its estimated 60% of tenants are properly recertified and relocated back in Lambert Houses”.  What happened to at least 40% of the prior households? The investments from the City are 100% sure. Phipps benefits from the city tax credits which were given on the condition that tenants would be treated fairly. Lack of recertification leads to rents that are not properly adjusted to tenant income, allowing Phipps to overcharge tenants and file eviction cases in housing court based on these overcharges. How can the City Council have faith in Phipps’ ability to keep its word to transfer tenants out of the Mapes Court into newly built “Sojourner Truth” buildings and properly certify their rent?


The community was expecting a school to be built, yet public school class sizes in CB6 remains at 28 students. How does Phipps not see the need to build a school to serve their new tenants?


Is it because Phipps Houses struggles to meet the need of its tenants? Phipps Houses at 383 East 162 Street has 110 HPD violations! In our own neighborhood, Phipps Houses property 2158 Mapes Avenue, a 46 unit building has 75 open housing code violations! Another Phipps building 2159 Southern Boulevard has 18 open housing code violations. How can the City Council not be concerned that more units for Phipps to take care of will mean the potential for further mismanagement?

As a Neighborhood Association that has witnessed these impacts firsthand, we are compelled to speak out as a community whose voices are being systematically ignored. Phipps has shown they will not develop in good faith and flaunts the housing quality standards developers and landlords must abide by.  
While Thyme Action supports the redevelopment of the Crotona / West Farms neighborhood, we also believe Phipps Houses and the City has a responsibility to build and design better with each new project. Phipps houses is capable of offering the community better, after all they co-designed the award winning Via Verde a 222-unit affordable mixed-income housing development in the Bronx.  Currently Lambert tenants have complained of new apartments being of poorer quality. and  smaller size. Redeveloping on a gas station site requires extensive environmental cleanup, and strict regulatory approval to meet Environmental Protect standards. Fast tracking another Phipps development; this time over a gas station site would be irresponsible!

We therefore call upon Council Member Feliz and the New York City Council  to intervene by:

• Reject Phipps Houses Sojourner Truth ULURP action completely
Track the number of residents relocated into Lambert Houses
• Hold Phipps Houses accountable for meeting HPD standard of living in all of Phipps current buildings
•  Hold Phipps Houses accountable for enforcing NYS remediation environmental laws.
• Requiring the Department of City Planning or appropriate agency to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Sojourner Truth project and engage in a meaningful public participation remediation process.




Sign this petition and stand with us to demand neighborhood development that reflect the needs and voices of Crotona’s communities, preserve our environment, and protect our future!