Rafael Hernandez Houses, also known as Hernandez Houses, is a public housing development built and maintained by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at 40.722113°N 73.989547°W / 40.722113; -73.989547. The development is named after Rafael Hernández Marín (1892-1965), a Puerto Rican music composer who served in the United States Armed Forces during World War I. After studying music in Puerto Rico and Mexico, 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 acres (4,200 m2) site. Rafael Hernandez Houses' address is 189 Allen 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, 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, which is also consolidated with Lower East Side I Infill and Max Meltzer Tower. No one is currently serving as the Resident Association President for Rafael Hernandez Houses.