The leadership of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was instrumental in forming the United Housing Foundation (UHF), which constructed affordable housing around the country. In the early 1950s, the UHF, with sponsorship from the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), built East River Houses (officially known as East River Housing Corporation). Opened around 1956 and located at Hillman's eastern edge, East River's four 20 and 21-story triple-core structures are home to almost 1,700 families.

Originally, the signs outside East River's buildings displayed "ILGWU Cooperative Village". The "ILGWU" has since been blacked. Each of East River's four apartment structures is named after individuals involved in the labor movement. A plaque featuring bust of the person or persons honored stands near each building's entrance.

· 453-455-457 FDR Drive is named after Moses Hilquit (Moses Hilkoqitz). Born in Latvia, he moved to the U.S., changed his name and practiced labor law and was one of the co-founders of the American Socialist Party.

· 573-575-577 Grand St. is named after Benjamin Schlesinger a three-time president of ILGWU. From 1907-1912 he was manager of the New York Jewish Daily Forward.

· 568-570-572 Grand St. is named after Henryk Erlich and Victor Alter. Both were born into well-to-do Hasidic families in Poland and went on to become leaders of the Polish Bund, a Jewish Socialist party. They escaped to Russia during the German invasion of Poland but were later captured. They were executed in 1941.

· 473-475-477 FDR Drive is named after Morris Sigman, who served as president of the ILGWU from 1923 - 1928.