The Prospect Plaza Houses was a 4.53-acre (18,300 m2) complex owned by the New York City Housing Authority in the Ocean Hill section of Brooklyn. It has four buildings, 12 and 15-stories tall with 368 apartments. Completed June 30, 1974, it is bordered by St. Marks and Sterling Place, Howard and Saratoga Avenues.[1] At one time the residents numbered approximately 1,171 residents. Today there are no residents. Many residents left after signing a deal under a plan called HOPE VI.[2] According to reports the deal offered residents of Prospect Plaza Houses temporary townhouse styled housing while their apartments were renovated. Many of these residents were instead given vouchers to alternative Section 8 housing. Many former residents have expressed dissatisfaction with what they claim was an unfair deal to remove them in order for the city to turn the buildings into condominiums and bring in more money.[3]
Prospect Plaza Houses are currently unoccupied.[4] One of the buildings was torn down in 2005 and the New York City Housing Authority plans to demolish the other buildings and build new apartments as this would be cheaper than renovating the existing units.[5]
Against federal guidelines, the New York City amended its annual plan of 2010 to the U.S. Department of HUD, post the public hearing and included changing the original plan for one building to the entire development being torn down.