Four Troy Housing Authority complexes receive major upgrades, accessibility improvements and energy-efficient systems.
TROY, N.Y. — New York says a $152 million project has modernized 341 public housing apartments across four Troy Housing Authority complexes, completing the second and final phase of a 732-unit preservation partnership with MDG Real Estate Partners. The work upgraded apartments, building systems, outdoor spaces and accessibility features while keeping the homes affordable for qualifying households. The Governor’s Office announced the completion on Sept. 22, 2026.
What is the Troy public housing revitalization project?
Troy Portfolio Preservation Bundle 2 is a $152 million rehabilitation of 341 public housing apartments at Corliss Park Apartments, Grand Street Apartments, Margaret W. Phelan Apartments and Catherine M. Sweeney Apartments. The Troy Housing Authority has also been renovating other properties as part of a broader effort to preserve more than 1,000 affordable homes in the city.
The four Bundle 2 sites include studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments. According to the state, the homes are affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of the area median income. Twenty units are designed to accommodate residents with mobility disabilities, while eight are designed for residents with sensory disabilities.
The Troy Housing Authority’s own project update also lists 341 apartments across the four sites and describes a wide scope of work, including building repairs, new roofs and windows, renovated kitchens and bathrooms, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, lighting, landscaping and playground improvements.
What changed inside and outside the apartments?
The renovation work touched both individual homes and shared spaces. The state says apartments received new flooring, kitchen and bathroom fixtures and updated lighting. Outdoor improvements included new landscaping and three new playgrounds.
Historic features were also part of the plan. The state says the facades at Corliss Park and Grand Street were preserved, while the exteriors at Margaret W. Phelan and Catherine M. Sweeney were modernized.
Among the major upgrades were:
- New or renovated kitchens and bathrooms
- Updated flooring and LED lighting
- Energy-efficient appliances and building systems
- All-electric heat pumps for heating and cooling
- Low-flow kitchen and bathroom fixtures
- Accessibility improvements for residents with disabilities
- New landscaping and playgrounds
- Repairs to roofs, windows, doors and other exterior features
The Governor’s Office says the combined energy upgrades are expected to cut energy use across the buildings by more than 20 percent. That estimate is based on the project design and efficiency measures, rather than a full year of post-renovation energy data.
Residents were allowed to return without rent increases
During construction, tenants were moved into vacant Troy Housing Authority apartments. State officials say residents had the right to return to their renovated homes and that the renovation itself did not increase their rent.
That detail matters because large rehabilitation projects can disrupt households even when the long-term goal is to improve housing conditions. The state and housing authority used vacant units to temporarily relocate tenants while work was underway.
Gov. Kathy Hochul described the project as part of the state’s effort to preserve existing affordable housing. “My administration continues to invest in projects that preserve affordable housing,” Hochul said in the announcement.
How the $152 million project was financed
The financing combines federal, state and private sources. According to the Governor’s Office, federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits allocated through New York State Homes and Community Renewal are expected to generate more than $59 million in equity. HCR also provided $48 million in subsidy.
The project received another $1 million through the Clean Energy Initiative, a partnership between HCR and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Federal and state historic tax credits are expected to generate an estimated $20 million in additional equity.
Earlier planning records from New York State Homes and Community Renewal confirm that Bundle 2 was designed as the second and final phase of the 732-unit Troy Housing Authority rehabilitation partnership with MDG Real Estate Partners.
How this fits into New York’s broader housing strategy
The Troy project is mainly a preservation project. It modernizes and protects existing public housing rather than adding 341 new apartments to the city’s total housing supply. That distinction is important when measuring what the project can — and cannot — do about New York’s broader housing shortage.
At the same time, preserving existing deeply affordable housing can prevent units from being lost to age, disrepair or major system failures. The state’s housing policy also includes separate programs aimed at building new affordable and mixed-income homes.
The Governor’s Office says the current five-year, $25 billion housing plan is intended to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with supportive services, and electrify another 50,000 homes. As of Sept. 22, the administration said more than 87,000 affordable homes had been created or preserved. Those figures are state-reported totals.
Why the Troy project matters beyond the Capital Region
For readers in the Mohawk Valley and other Upstate communities, the project offers a clear example of how New York is combining housing preservation, federal tax credits, state subsidies, historic preservation and clean-energy funding in a single redevelopment.
The model is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Communities with severe housing shortages may also need new construction, zoning changes, infrastructure investment or additional rental assistance. But Troy’s project shows how public housing that already exists can be renovated instead of replaced or allowed to deteriorate.
Troy Mayor Carmella Mantello said the work was focused on residents as well as buildings. “This is about giving families a home they can be proud of,” she said.
What happens next?
The completion of Bundle 2 closes the second phase of the 732-unit Troy Housing Authority preservation partnership with MDG, but other rehabilitation projects across the authority’s larger portfolio remain underway. The authority manages more than 1,000 apartments and continues to post construction updates and board information on its website.
Residents and readers who want to follow the work can review updates from the Troy Housing Authority, New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the Governor’s Office.
