Focus on

Concern for Independent Living:

Pollack Gardens

Developed on the grounds of a former adult home, Concern for Independent Living’s Pollack Gardens, located in West Sayville, epitomizes excellence in supportive housing. 

Pollack Gardens is home to fifty individuals living with psychiatric disabilities and features a dining room, several community rooms, library, computer room, laundry facilities, and lovely outdoor patio and gardens.

The program had the unanimous support of the community and the Islip Town Board scheduled a special meeting to help the developer meet an impending deadline.   (Pollack Gardens’ supporters won a Best Neighbor of the Year Award from the Supportive Housing Network in October 2007). Unprecedented coordination between three State Agencies (OMH, CQC and DHCR) also helped bring this project to fruition.

Concern was also able to utilize innovative financial resources and structures including combining Low Income Housing Tax Credits coupled with a permanent mortgage supported by a long term commitment from the New York State Office of Mental Health.  The tax credits were purchased by Enterprise.  The construction and permanent financing was provided by The Community Preservation Corporation.  Additional financing comes from the Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Program.  The model of financing in Pollack Gardens that Concern helped to create has since been used by other supportive housing providers.

Read about Pollack Gardens’ Neighbors of the Year.

 

RFP Corner

OTDA has just released the RFP for the Homeless Housing Assistance Program.  This year the funds available have increased by 20%, to a total of $36.5 million.  Up to $5 million may be reserved for HIV/AIDS housing and, in New York City, NY/NY III supportive housing is also prioritized. The deadline to submit the application is July 14, 2008.  There is an open question and answer period now through June 6, 2008. 

New SAMHSA funding available to fund services in supportive housing. More...

575 new scattered site units available from OMH under NY/NY III.

Update on DOHMH NY/NY III rolling RFP: Grants are still available for four of the original six populations served by DOHMH under NY/NY III.

Two rolling RFPS from DHMH: The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has two RFPs out with rolling deadlines. The NY/NY III Congregate RFP is for 3,000 units of housing citywide for 6 distinct populations. And the High Service Needs RFP is for 800 units of congregate housing citywide for homeless adults with SPMI.

What's New

New State budget grows and protects supportive housing funding. More...

Read our April Network News.

 

Watch WNBC report on supportive housing.

Public c ost savings associated with two Seattle supportive housing residences after one year: $3.2 million.

Supportive housing in the news: Daily News on NCS Residence; New study of supportive housing in Philadelphia: property values INCREASE within a 1/4 mile of residences; The Network in New York Nonprofit Press; CAMBA/Dunn Development's Myrtle Avenue Apartments and Common Ground/Actors Fund's Schermerhorn House lauded by Brooklyn Borough President, Wall Street Journal; New York Magazine names BRC one of New York's best bets for giving; CBS News on Pathways to Housing; Bronx Times Reporter on new residence by The Bridge; Buffalo News on Network Neighbors of the Year; Daily News on new residence for veterans by Jericho Project...

92% of Americans believe more should be done to address homelessness according to a new Gallup poll released by Fannie Mae.

 

   

Have you seen this?

PRELIMINARY STUDY FINDINGS OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS FINDS THAT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SAVES $873,000 IN MEDICAL CARE COSTS ANNUALLY. More.