The Manhattan Valley Development Corporation will mark 45 years of providing affordable housing in Manhattan at the end of 2013.  As part of the celebration of this milestone anniversary, Yardi client MVDC will award the first Leah Schneider scholarship in honor of the organization’s former director who passed away in 2001. Since 1968, MVDC has maintained a focus on one vital goal: providing and maintaining affordable, safe housing in Manhattan’s upper Westside. Over the years, MVDC rehabilitated and developed more than 1200 housing units, including affordable ownership projects that were sold to residents at below-market prices. Today, MVDC oversees 784 apartments in 47 buildings, serving around 3,000 residents. The ongoing challenge of maintaining affordable housing in New York City, one of the nation’s priciest apartment markets, and serving an aging resident population are two priorities for MVDC Executive Director Lucille McEwen. “There are market forces and gentrification and pressure to create more high-end living in this immediate area, but we’ve always maintained affordable housing and that’s our real focus,” said McEwen (left), an attorney who has a passion for affordable housing and is also a lifelong Manhattan resident.  “We are reaching out to other like-minded individuals and organizations to see what we can do collectively.” “One of the things we’re trying to figure out is: How do we get more housing that’s targeted towards low-income seniors? That’s a great need in the community. They can’t afford to move, and they can’t afford these new construction co-ops and condos that are going up. They need the accessibility ramps to get into buildings, and elevators, and other things that help when you have limited mobility.” Many of MVDC’s residents have been living in their apartments for years, even decades. McEwen knows of one man who has...