Built in 1959 and named after NYCHA housing activist Louis Heaton Pink, the Louis H. Pink Houses comprise 22 buildings and is home to more than 2,500 residents.
The complex is located in Brooklyn’s East New York neighborhood and are bounded by Autumn Avenue, Linden Boulevard, Loring Avenue, and Crescent Street.
Like many postwar NYCHA developments, Pink Houses were built for $21 million with the promise of providing affordable housing for working-class families during a renaissance of urban growth and renewal.
Over recent decades, however, the development has faced many of the long-standing challenges associated with NYCHA housing, including crime, neglect, and deteriorating infrastructure. Despite these conditions, Pink Houses have remained a close-knit community for many residents.
The development has also been the site of national attention, most notably in 2014, when Akai Gurley was shot and killed by an NYPD officer in a poorly lit stairwell that was a result of repair neglect—an incident that reignited public outrage over policing, accountability, and safety in public housing.
Even in the face of hardship and city disinvestment, residents have continued to advocate for change, safety, and improved living conditions. Tenant leaders and longtime residents have called for cleaner buildings, better lighting, and a safer environment.
Pink Houses reflect the endurance required of many NYCHA communities. For those who grew up there, it represents shared roots, identity, and a powerful sense of collective experience.
