Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that construction has begun for a $1.2 billion development in East New York.   

The development will be located on the former Brooklyn Developmental Center property. The goal is to focus on improving access to affordable housing and health care for residents.  

Once construction is completed, there will be more than 2,400 affordable homes, an outpatient medical clinic and 7,000 square feet to be used for retail. 

The project, called Alafia, is supposed to address social, economic and health disparities that high-need communities like East New York face.  

“This will be a transformational project that’ll have a profound impact on this long-forgotten neighborhood,” said Hochul. “It's not just on the physical structure, it's not just the buildings. It'll have a profound impact on the psychology of a community, how they view themselves, how they realize that we believe they matter, they have value, and they deserve more.” 

The project will include dozens of homes specially reserved for people facing mental health challenges and developmental disabilities.