IN THE NEWS: Pollack Gardens
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.
CONCERN FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING • PO Box 358 • 312 Expressway Drive South, Medford, NY 11763 • Phone ( 631) 758-047 • Fax (631) 758-0467 • Email: info@concerhousing.org