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Visit to the Low Income Apartment Project in NYC

We take a final visit to our sister project, and the new tenants have moved into the recently renovated low-income units on the Lower East Side.
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Visit to the Low Income Apartment Project in NYC

  computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" I'm real excited about seeing your finished department here today well we're happy here we've we've got construction completed yeah. And did your budget supper -- things -- we did real well we are much it was 68000 and it and we -- minutes it our time is eleven so. That's close to three quarters of a million. -- is probably good good numbers for eleven apartments in New York City surest yeah now as I understand we're about to meet the first family were moving in we're expecting the show a momentary are showing up momentarily. And where there this is mr. Spencer the Spencer them on good morning. You hi I'm Bob Vila -- hound you alliance and who's this this -- can reminiscences. And Cedric high. Well must be pretty excited -- yeah this has this is a big day for you you're moving into a brand new apartment yes I -- they have in its electric. Well there's a lottery system for the selection of tenants in these buildings. And these eleven years have been at 2000 applications. So. You are lucky indeed and you must be dying to see with the apartments. Can we go up let's go okay. They -- thanks active. Thank you. -- Home. And thing here is in the kitchen remodel -- In the kitchen. This is not a home since you cabinets yeah all moved solid wood cabinets and -- my minutes tops and easy care floor appliances. I like it -- in the center of all let me. If you get this thing -- building. I think six months ago when they started construction here. There was nothing but rubble -- had been abandoned for twenty years through the caved in the floors and caved in Newark. The weeds growing in between the bricks. And in just about eight months all of these workers and organization everything else has managed to create this this is not. It flourish in the bathroom on the other side. We're entry hall."

" Following -- at this is nine days. This is minds slowly child again who might have let her -- are veterans."

" And you have two bedrooms we'll stop here we have a linen closet. And we have a coat closet here. And this is the first of the two bedrooms. The smaller that it might end. And so this is nice -- and witness the brand new hardwood floors take a look at that. Nice double closet yes and again what's typical of all of -- city buildings you've got a light and air shaft and in summer when you open up these windows you don't have to worry about Cedric. As you get these child -- right place -- with a with a smaller bedroom right that's correct we're -- go to a -- bedroom now. Good evening so we hear the other end. And I don't know I imagine this might -- your bedroom. Yes this is nice. Some kind of classes yes and so it's very generous -- and I ask you it's. And -- you are you open Ali Salem at your window switches. Nice feature real nice feature to have and a Manhattan apartment madness too cold open today -- The hair but this is about ten by ten which is it a nice generous honestly think look at the living room. Yeah this is about ten by twenty dining and living. And what's the story with this -- the -- As white gate here in the -- fires gate gate where security big issue in the work out and we don't want anybody empire state have access to be -- break into the apartment yeah so you have this great that they've done that they'll lock on it right oh yeah. What about on the other side yes I'll have -- don't yet the senator Richard marks on the outside the outside to protect this one yes of course all the windows well Sonya objects but between the -- chat window and -- windows in the summertime you can create cross current through here yes there. Well what do you think -- nice. And wealth you know who I think it's it's it's a wonderful apartment and wish you a lot of happiness in Q. Anger and joy and I don't want to question this step with. Wonderful I've got one question for you. If this were hot typical apartment in Manhattan just on the open market what would it ran for well in this neighborhood on the Hillary side about twelve to 1500 dollars a month treatment. Amazing and because of the way this has been structured with the enterprise foundation stuff as I understand it and it'll only cost. A percentage. Mister Spencer's monthly income that's correct -- movie about 30%. Of -- and -- what will be paid for a hidden and this is possible because the building was given in kind by the city of New York and it was that we subsidize. By New York City and with assistance from enterprise foundation yet wonderful congratulations. Thank you Bob congratulations do you think you can keep him."

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