New York City Tries Modular Construction for Affordable Homes

New York City plans to use modular construction for a Brooklyn affordable apartment building as it tests a way to build low-cost housing faster.

The proposed 167-apartment complex in the East New York neighborhood is among the first projects the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development selected to finance using this building method. The city hopes that using the technique of stacking factory-produced units will save time and eventually lower costs.

“Doing modular is a really important, long-term strategy for the city,” said New York City Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, whose last day on the job was Friday. “We know it saves time, and as it scales up, it will start saving money.”