Housing Lottery Opens for 303 Affordable Apartments at Transformative Bronx Development
A new housing lottery is bringing 303 affordable apartments to market at The Peninsula, a large-scale mixed-use development in Hunts Point that continues the transformation of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center site into a vibrant residential and commercial community.
The newly available apartments are part of Phase II of The Peninsula, a five-building development that will ultimately deliver 740 permanently affordable homes, community facilities, retail space, open space, and economic development opportunities to the South Bronx. Applications are now being accepted through NYC Housing Connect for households earning between 30% and 70% of Area Median Income. Rents range from $465 per month for select studio apartments to larger family-sized units at higher income levels.
The project represents one of the most significant redevelopment efforts in the Bronx in recent years. Once known as the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, the site closed in 2011 and has since been reimagined as a mixed-use campus designed to support housing, employment, wellness, and community services.
When complete, The Peninsula will include affordable housing, light industrial and manufacturing space, retail uses, community facilities, and more than 50,000 square feet of publicly accessible open space. Development partners have positioned the project as a model for how underutilized public land can be transformed into long-term community assets.
A New Chapter for Hunts Point
The opening of the housing lottery marks another milestone for Hunts Point, a neighborhood that has seen growing investment while maintaining a focus on affordability and community-driven development. In addition to new housing, The Peninsula is expected to generate permanent jobs, support local businesses, and provide expanded access to services for residents.
The development has also recently gained attention as the future home of New York City's first municipally operated grocery store in the Bronx. City officials announced plans for a 20,000-square-foot grocery store at The Peninsula, further reinforcing the project's role as a neighborhood destination beyond housing alone.
What It Means for Real Estate
For real estate professionals, The Peninsula illustrates several trends shaping development throughout New York City: the adaptive reuse of obsolete public facilities, public-private partnerships to create affordable housing, and the growing emphasis on mixed-use projects that combine residential, commercial, and community-serving uses.
As Phase II nears completion and residents begin moving into these newly available apartments, The Peninsula continues to demonstrate how large-scale redevelopment can reshape neighborhoods while addressing housing needs and creating economic opportunity.
The opening of the lottery is not just an opportunity for prospective residents—it is another visible sign of the continued evolution of Hunts Point and the broader Bronx real estate market.
