Why Most Projects Should Start with HPD

Meltzer Mandl Architects
3 days ago
2 min read

Part of our Understanding NYC Housing Agencies Series

Navigating New York City housing agencies is one of the most common sources of delay, redesign, and cost escalation on development projects. Many of these challenges are not caused by complex rules, but by misaligned expectations between agencies and project teams. With the right early decisions, much of this risk can be avoided.

Modern multi-story building with yellow and gray facade under a clear blue sky, surrounded by trees, creating an urban scene. — Cannon Place Project

This new series breaks down how to work effectively with the City’s key housing and building agencies, what each agency actually controls, and where projects most often run into trouble. Each post is intended to provide practical guidance drawn from real project experience, with a focus on improving approvals, coordination, and overall predictability.

We are starting with HPD because its requirements shape the foundation of many housing projects long before drawings are submitted or permits are filed. HPD decisions influence program structure, affordability, scope, and long term operations, all of which affect how a project is designed, financed, and ultimately delivered. When HPD alignment happens early, the rest of the approval process is far more predictable.

What HPD Controls

HPD plays a central role in affordable and mixed income housing projects by establishing program rules that affect unit mix, income targeting, construction standards, building systems, and operational expectations. These requirements extend beyond affordability and directly influence architectural layout, material selection, and long term durability.

Modern gray-white apartment building under a clear blue sky, with greenery in front. Two people walk on the sidewalk. Calm urban scene. — Malcolm Shabazz Project

Why It Matters

Because HPD requirements touch so many aspects of a project, late clarification often leads to redesign at the worst possible moment. Changes to unit mix, circulation, or building systems can ripple through the entire project, affecting cost, schedule, and financing. Early clarity allows teams to design with confidence and avoid avoidable revisions.

Where Projects Get Stuck

Projects most often encounter issues when HPD engagement is delayed or treated as a confirmation step rather than a planning step. Rehab projects are especially vulnerable, as scope decisions can trigger higher compliance thresholds that were not anticipated at the outset. When this happens, teams are forced to react rather than plan.

Modern brick building with large windows, rock formations in open ground floor area. Bright blue sky above, creating a calm urban scene. — Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. Apartments

What Experienced Teams Do Differently

Experienced teams bring HPD into the conversation early and pressure test assumptions before design advances. They evaluate rehab scope carefully, confirm compliance paths, and align program goals with zoning and building code requirements from the start. This upfront effort reduces risk and improves coordination across agencies.

Our Recommendation

Treat HPD as a starting point, not a checkpoint. Confirm program requirements, rehab classifications, and compliance expectations early and document them clearly. When HPD strategy is aligned from the outset, design decisions are more efficient, financing remains intact, and agency approvals tend to move more smoothly.