Riis Houses

Name: Riis Houses

Population: 4038

Number of Residential Buildings: 19

Year Established: 1947

The project is named after the famous photojournalist Jacob Riis. Working for the New York Evening Sun he started taking photographs of New York’s poorest neighborhoods and published his most famous book “How the Other Half Lives”. Due to his job, it is widely considered that he inspired New York’s public housing projects. The Riis Houses are predominantly populated by Hispanic residents, which constitute more than 60 percent of the total population. The rest development has a NYCHA community center and a children’s day care center sponsored by Sheltering Arms.

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The Washington Heights Rehab developments are covered by Lorenzo Franceschi Bicchierai.

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