Nineteen Families, One Rooftop: The Lower East Side Building Jimmy Carter Saved Now Carries His Solar Vision

Up the Stairs, Panel by Panel

Dozens of solar panels made an unlikely journey through a New York tenement this past week, carried by hand up the stairwells of a six-story apartment building in the neighborhood known as "Alphabet City." The occasion was what organizers called a "solar barn raising," an event that drew Habitat for Humanity volunteers, residents, neighbors, and a handful of visitors in town for Climate Week, among them L. Michelle Moore, who wrote about the experience after visiting the site.

The building at the center of it all is Mascot Flats, and it carries a distinction many New Yorkers have never heard of: it was the first Habitat for Humanity project undertaken by former President Jimmy Carter. Moore wrote that she liked to think Carter was with them in spirit as the panels climbed skyward — a fitting image for a man who, while in office, had solar panels installed on the West Wing of the White House.

A Derelict Tenement for $18,000

Long before its roof hosted solar equipment, Mascot Flats nearly lost its roof altogether. The tenement, originally constructed in 1903, had fallen into neglect and abuse by the time Habitat purchased it from the City in the 1980s — at which point it did not even have a roof. Habitat paid just $18,000 for the property and transformed it into affordable housing for approximately 19 working families. Carter, a Georgia native, worked on the project personally, swinging a hammer and raising money to bring the community's vision to life. His involvement remains visible in the neighborhood today: a mural covering an entire exterior wall of the church across the street celebrates his commitment.

An Engineer in the White House

Carter's connection to solar energy long predates the Alphabet City installation. A Navy officer and nuclear engineer, he led the country through the energy crisis of the 1970s. Moore writes that his commitment to leading by example showed how innovative and renewable forms of energy could displace Middle Eastern oil while keeping electricity accessible and affordable for American families. Widely available solar panels were decades away at that point, but Moore writes that the vision Carter displayed continued to inspire future generations. This week, that vision found physical form on the roof of a building he helped save more than thirty years ago.

$195,000 in Savings Against a $36,000 Project

The numbers behind the installation make a straightforward case. Moore describes solar panels as typically measuring about 3 feet by 5 feet — thinner and lighter than a comparably sized piece of particleboard. Once the Mascot Flats installation is complete, it is expected to reduce resident electricity bills by more than $195,000 over the next 25 years. That figure substantially outpaces the project's cost, which came in at roughly $36,000. Moore noted that the savings carry particular weight at a time when the price of everything is rising. For the roughly 19 working families living in the building, she observed, that is real money back in people's pocketbooks.

Why the Math Works Better in New York

The favorable economics in Alphabet City do not translate everywhere. Moore, who has roots in the Southeast, acknowledged that rooftop solar economics vary by region. Electricity rates in New York City exceed those in the Southeast, and New York State offers solar incentives that encourage residents to install local power — incentives that states like Georgia and Alabama lack. Even with that regional difference, Moore expressed pride that Carter's engineering excellence and visionary Christian leadership are still helping neighbors in New York City lower their utility bills and live a little better. She also looked toward what may come next, pointing to new options such as plug-in solar on the horizon and voicing hope that more neighbors in more diverse places will be able to save money with their own power.

One Building, Three Decades of Carter's Footprint

The week's event tied together threads spanning nearly half a century. In the 1970s, Carter championed renewable energy from the White House, installing panels on the West Wing in an era when the technology was experimental. In the 1980s, he brought his volunteer labor and fundraising to a roofless Lower East Side tenement, helping convert it into homes for working families. And this past week, a new generation of volunteers — residents, neighbors, and Climate Week visitors among them — carried solar panels up the same stairs Carter once climbed with a hammer in hand. For Moore, the day connected past and present in a single image: a community barn raising on the roof of the building that marked the beginning of a president's Habitat legacy, now producing savings for the families who live there.