Rafael Hernandez Houses, also known as Hernandez Houses, is a public housing development

Public housing in the United States

Public housing in the United States has been administered by federal, state and local agencies to provide subsidized assistance for low-income and people living in poverty. Now increasingly provided in a variety of settings and formats, originally public housing in the U.S...

 built and maintained by the New York City Housing Authority

New York City Housing Authority

The New York City Housing Authority provides public housing for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments...

 (NYCHA) on the Lower East Side

Lower East Side

The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....

 of Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

 at 40.722113°N 73.989547°W. The development is named after Rafael Hernández Marín

Rafael Hernández Marín

Rafael Hernández , was one of the most important composers of Puerto Rican popular music during the 20th century.-Early years:...

 (1892-1965), a Puerto Rican

Puerto Rican people

A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...

 music composer who served in the United States Armed Forces

United States armed forces

The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...

 during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. After studying music in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 and Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, Rafael Hernández Marín travelled to New York City, then to Latin America; after he returned to his homeland Puerto Rico, he became the director of the Puerto Rican Symphonic Orchestra.

The development is a single 17-story building located on a 1.03 acre site. Rafael Hernandez Houses' address is 189 Allen Street

Allen Street (Manhattan)

Allen Street is a street in the New York City borough of Manhattan which runs north-south through the Lower Manhattan neighborhood of Chinatown, and the Lower East Side. It is continued north of Houston Street as First Avenue, and south of Canal Street by Division Street and Pike Street. ...

. The block containing this site is bordered to the north by East Houston Street, to the east by Allen Street, to the south by Stanton Street

Stanton Street

Stanton Street is a west-to-east running street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, in the neighborhood of the Lower East Side. It begins at Bowery, one block south of Houston Street at the corner of the infamous Sunshine Motel...

, and to the west by Eldridge Street. In addition to Allen Street, the building borders Stanton Street and Eldridge Street. Rafael Hernandez Houses has 149 apartments, which house approximately 280 people.

Rafael Hernandez Houses was completed August 31, 1971. The architects who designed the development are Morris Ketchum, Jr. & Associates.

Rafael Hernandez Houses is managed by Gompers Houses

Gompers Houses

Samuel Gompers Houses, also known as Gompers Houses, is a public housing development built and maintained by the New York City Housing Authority on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at...

, which is also consolidated with Lower East Side I Infill

Lower East Side I Infill

Lower East Side I Infill, or Lower East Side Infill #1, is a public housing development built and maintained by the New York City Housing Authority on the Lower East Side of Manhattan....

 and Max Meltzer Tower. No one is currently serving as the Resident Association President for Rafael Hernandez Houses.