University Neighborhood Housing Program

University Neighborhood Housing Program is a private nonprofit corporation whose formation was cosponsored by Fordham University and the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC). University Neighborhood Housing Program was created in 1983 by Fordham University to assist in community based housing preservation activities. The NWBCCC Reinvestment Project, which acted as the development and loan packaging arm of community based revitalization efforts, sought to expand funding opportunities for locally controlled buildings. The Project approached Fordham University for funding and the University suggested entering into a partnership with the Northwest Bronx community to create the corporation that UNHP has become today. UNHP quickly succeeded in obtaining lines of credits from banks and institutions to support affordable housing redevelopment. Our first work was to lend funds and package loans in order to purchase dilapidated privately owned buildings, renovate them and create community controlled affordable housing. The loan fund that was created at the start of the University Neighborhood Housing Program continues today. The loan committee of University Neighborhood Housing Program lends market and below market funds to community development initiatives. University Neighborhood Housing Program supported the creation of affordable housing by financing the purchase of multi-family buildings. The UNHP Community Ownership Project consists of 50 multi-family buildings that with the financing of the UNHP Loan Fund became community controlled properties. The UNHP Loan Fund was used in conjunction with public and private money to purchase dilapidated, poorly managed buildings with organized tenant groups, rehabilitate the units and maintain affordable rents. In addition to lending funds directly to community projects, University Neighborhood Housing Program provides technical assistance to tenant groups, affordable housing managers, not-for-profit housing companies and community organizations. UNHP has assisted groups by providing management and fiscal services, staff trainings, and direct intervention with specific building issues that affect affordability. UNHP specialized in providing assistance to community controlled properties. UNHP has reviewed the financial standing of properties, packaged rehabilitation loans, addressed specific problems, like confusing water bills or high tax assessments and provided basic management and building repair workshops for housing managers and superintendents. UNHP has been providing oversight, tenant services and fiscal support to 21 buildings owned by a local not-for-profit. UNHP sees the development of community controlled properties and the overall support of the management, ownership and tenants as a key part of our affordable housing creation and preservation. University Neighborhood also works to create, and preserve affordable housing through organizing. UNHP identifies and addresses through organizing emerging issues that impact the affordability of housing. UNHP addresses the broad issues that impact affordability, such as national housing policy as well as local issues, such as program, policy, and legislative changes.