The John F. Hylan Houses sit in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, bordered by Seigel Street, Moore Street and Bushwick Avenue. Opened in 1963, the complex consists of six buildings and is home to more than 2,500 residents.
Named after former New York City mayor John Francis Hylan, known for advocating for working people during his tenure as the the 96th Mayor of New York City, from 1918 to 1925, the development was built during NYCHA’s post-war expansion to provide affordable homes for low-income New Yorkers.
Like many NYCHA sites of the era, Hylan Houses were designed with open courtyards and green spaces intended to promote healthier urban living. The New York Times declared that in 1959 that residents could start applying on June 17 that year and that:
“On the site will be one nineteen-story building, with 208 apartments at monthly rents averaging $24 a room a month. This will be open to qualified single persons with incomes to $5,688 and to families of five or more with incomes of $9,036. None of the housing regulations defines “middle income.” By popular definition it ranges up from $7,500 to $8,000. Four twenty-story buildings and four thirteen-story ones will have a total of 1,220 apartments, with rents averaging under $16.50 a room. The maximum incomes here will be $3,744 for one person to $8,064 for families of nine or more.”
In the decades that followed, though, the development, like much of Brownsville and the surrounding area, endured severe disinvestment, rising crime, and physical deterioration. Broken elevators, chronic heat outages, and persistent leaks became an all-too-familiar reality for tenants.
Still, a strong sense of community endured. Tenant associations, youth organizations, and neighborhood activists continued to push for better living conditions and greater opportunity for residents. In April 2025, Hylan Houses became the fourth NYCHA development to vote to become a Public Housing Preservation Trust site.
The development has also produced notable alumni, including rapper and producer Buckshot, co-founder of Duck Down Music, who often references Brownsville in his work. His achievements, and those of many others, reflect the deep well of talent and ambition rooted in public housing communities.
The John F. Hylan Houses represent the broader story of NYCHA itself—a narrative of struggle, resilience, and unwavering community strength.The development remains a testament to the determination and unity of the people who call public housing home.
