1978: Our Founding
In 1978, passionate local clergy form Pastoral and Education Services (PAES), which eventually becomes Brooklyn Community Housing & Services (BCHS), to combat homelessness in Brooklyn.
1980
BCHS pioneers one of the first Scattered-Site Apartment Programs in the United States, providing housing opportunities in private apartments throughout the borough for formerly homeless individuals with mental illness and co-occurring disorders.
1987
To create additional housing in Brooklyn, BCHS develops Brooklyn Gardens, a three-building complex that houses multiple populations of residents. With its shared courtyard and common spaces, Brooklyn Gardens isn’t just housing – it’s a groundbreaking model for inclusive living and cultivating community.
1996
BCHS wins federal funds to begin a number of workforce development and vocational training efforts for its clients and local Brooklyn residents.
2002
The Scattered-Site Apartment Program expands, providing additional housing in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Borough Park, Brownsville, Crown Heights, Coney Island, East New York, Flatbush, Gowanus, and Prospect Heights.
2006
BCHS implements an internationally recognized program to address the needs of two growing client populations, formerly incarcerated individuals and formerly homeless seniors. Clients receive specialized resources to help sustain independence and maintain stable housing.
2011
The Brooklyn Housing Assistance Center (BHAC) is founded as an eviction prevention initiative help to low-income tenants in the Borough remain in their homes. Addressing both immediate crises and long-term housing stability, the BHAC offers rental arrears assistance, landlord mediation, legal help, and mental health evaluations.
2012
Navy Green, a 97-unit single room occupancy (SRO) building, is unveiled across from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Navy Green, a collaboration with IMPACCT Brooklyn, provides both supportive housing and affordable community units for formerly homeless and low-income adults.
Present and Beyond
BCHS continues to provide housing and services for over 1,200 individuals and families annually and has plans to further expand. With three sites in various stages of development, BCHS will add over 800 units of supportive and affordable housing to the Brooklyn community in the coming years.