Mayor Mamdani Breaks Ground on Timbale Terrace

100% affordable housing development to transform lives of hundreds of East Harlem families

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke ground on Timbale Terrace, a 20-story, 100% affordable housing development with 341 new homes affordable to low and very low-income households. The project will also provide a permanent 21,000 square foot home for the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance Casa Belongó and include wraparound social services focused on health, wellness, education, and employment.

Why it matters

The development is part of the mayor's efforts to build more affordable housing and support the arts and culture in East Harlem, a neighborhood that has struggled with rising costs and displacement. It will provide stability and space for the community to thrive, building on the area's rich musical heritage.

The details

Timbale Terrace will include 341 affordable apartments, with 97 set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The project is a public-private partnership that will also house the permanent home for the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance Casa Belongó. The development was made possible through years of community advocacy and planning, overcoming opposition to the loss of parking spaces.

  • Mayor Mamdani broke ground on the project on February 20, 2026.
  • The development is expected to be completed in the next 2-3 years.

The players

Mayor Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City who is leading the city's efforts to build more affordable housing and support the arts.

Leila Bozorg

Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning, working closely with the mayor on affordable housing initiatives.

Lauren Connors

Senior Vice President of Development at the New York City Housing Development Corporation, a key partner on the Timbale Terrace project.

Mark Levine

The current New York City Comptroller, who previously served as Manhattan Borough President and was an early champion of the Timbale Terrace development.

Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance Casa Belongó

A cultural institution dedicated to performing, teaching, and preserving the music of the Americas rooted in African and indigenous traditions, which will have a permanent home in the Timbale Terrace development.

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What they’re saying

“Today is a special day. Not only because we were just graced with apparently New York's first ever mayoral mambo, but because today we break ground on Timbale Terrace.”

— Mayor Zohran Mamdani

“Timbale Terrace is a testament to the city that we are building together. One where the working people of this neighborhood no longer need to wish the rent was heaven sent in the words of another East Harlem great, Langston Hughes.”

— Mayor Zohran Mamdani

“This is an example of community planning at its best. And it's an example of how you can combine arts and culture with housing.”

— Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal

“Casa Belongó is more than a building. It is a promise, a promise that culture, education, and community belong at the heart of our neighborhoods.”

— Marietta Ulacia, Executive Director, Casa Belongó

“If history is any guide, Harlem always pays back with dividends.”

— Asahi Pompey, President, Goldman Sachs Foundation

What’s next

The Timbale Terrace development is expected to be completed in the next 2-3 years, providing 341 units of affordable housing and a permanent home for the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance Casa Belongó.

The takeaway

The Timbale Terrace project represents a significant investment in affordable housing and the arts in East Harlem, a neighborhood that has long struggled with rising costs and displacement. By combining affordable homes with a cultural institution, the development aims to preserve the community's rich musical heritage and provide stability for working families.