Newsfeed Category: New York State

Governor Cuomo Announces New Appointees

Feb.06.2015

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced new appointments to his administration on January 11, 2015, stating "this team will build on the extraordinary progress made over the last four years by bringing experience, energy and fresh perspectives to the table."

Governor Cuomo Announces a New Statewide NY/NY 4

Jan.20.2015

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Network Executive Director Laura Mascuch

The Supportive Housing Network of New York was honored to participate in Governor Cuomo's January 18th Press Conference announcing his 2015 Opportunity Agenda and ten point plan to combat poverty and fight inequality. 
 

Mario Cuomo’s Legacy

Jan.06.2015

Father John Felice, Governor Mario Cuomo, Richard Searls, Barbara Sabol, Mayor David Dinkins, Bill Jones, and Nancy Wackstein at the Historic Signing of the First NY/NY Agreement

Millions of New Yorkers are deeply saddened by the passing of the great Mario Cuomo, but we in the supportive housing community need to draw attention to one of his very greatest achievements as Governor: The New York/New York Agreement to House Homeless Mentally Ill Individuals.

Liberty Village Opens in Amityville, New York

Oct.06.2014

Senator Charles E. Schumer and partners gather to cut the ribbon at Liberty Village, a supportive
housing residence for veterans and their families. Photo courtesy of Concern for Independent Living.

The fight to end veteran homelessness got a big boost on September 29th with the opening of Liberty Village, in Amityville, NY, a new 60-unit supportive housing residence for veterans and their families from Concern for Independent Living. Headlining the event was long-time project champion Senator Charles E. Schumer, having presided over the project’s groundbreaking in October 2012.

"This is great news for Long Island veterans, who willingly risked life and limb for our country," said Senator Schumer. “We overcame many obstacles to get here, but now 60 vets and their families will thankfully be provided with a comfortable place to live. I'm thankful to Concern for Independent Living for seeing this project to fruition."

MC’ing the event was Concern Executive Director and Network Board member Ralph Fasano who pointed out that Liberty Village is the first project of its kind and required “unprecedented collaboration among Federal, state and local leaders.”

That collaboration was obvious from the speakers list. Darryl Towns spoke on behalf of NYS Homes and Community Renewal, in addition to representatives from the NYS Office of Mental Health, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, the County of Suffolk, the Town of Babylon, the Federal Home Loan Bank, Local Initiative Support Corporation and the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center.

Nat Conigiliaro, a veteran of the Korean War, said “I feel like it was made for me…I want to dig a hole and put all my animosity, my homelessness, my scars, and bury it…This place is like paradise, it’s home.”

“Anyone with a home has neighbors,” commented Sgt. Angel Romero.  “Here, at Liberty Village, I’m with my brothers and sisters.”

HCR Announces Medicaid Redesign Team Capital Funding

Jul.01.2014

NYS Homes & Community Renewal (HCR), acting through the Housing Trust Fund Corporation, has announced the funding availability of up to $25,000,000 in capital funds to expand supportive housing for high cost Medicaid populations throughout New York State.  Applications may be submitted between July 1, 2014 and January 31, 2015 or until all funds offered are committed.

HCR is seeking proposals from development teams that include service providers who have awards funded through the Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) Supportive Housing Allocation Plan, the NY/NY III Agreement or from other federal, state and municipal funding streams that provide social service funding for high need and high cost Medicaid recipients, to develop multifamily supportive rental housing projects either through new construction or the gut rehabilitation of vacant buildings. 

OTDA Announces Medicaid Redesign Team Capital Funding

Jun.25.2014

The NYS Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation (HHAC) and the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) have announced the availability of $10 million in funding through the 2014 Homeless Housing and Assistance Program Medicaid Redesign Team Capital Funds (HHAP/MRT) program to develop supportive housing for homeless individuals with histories of substantial Medicaid use.  OTDA will begin accepting applications for funding on June 30, 2014 as part of the HHAP open Request for Proposals (RFP).

HHAP provides grants and loans to acquire, construct and rehabilitate housing for persons who are or would otherwise be homeless. Projects eligible for HHAP / MRT funds must provide permanent supportive housing to homeless single individuals who exhibit conditions or histories recognized to be associated with high Medicaid usage. Examples include but are not limited to single adults who have experienced chronic homelessness, physical disability, mental illness, substance abuse, and/or other disabling conditions.

Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing Launches at NYC Hall

Jun.09.2014

The crowd at the launch of Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing on May 28. Photo by Coalition for the Homeless.

The Network joined a crowd of more than 150 advocates on May 28 for the launch of Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing, a grassroots initiative to call on lawmakers to create a new New York/New York Supportive Housing Agreement.

This new coalition is urging Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio to negotiate a City-State agreement to create 30,000 units of supportive housing over the next 10 years. To date, more than 150 organizations have signed on to the campaign’s platform. You can endorse the campaign by following this link. The Network is proud to have helped launch this campaign with such organizations as Coalition for the Homeless, CSH, Enterprise Community Partners and many, many others.

You can learn more about the Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing by reading these press highlights in Capital New York, New York Observer and The Real Deal.

New York State Releases Three Supportive Housing RFPs

Jun.04.2014

New York State released three Requests for Proposals (RFPs) last week to fund the development of new supportive housing programs across the state.

Among them, the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) released its 2014 Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) RFP. This RFP will provide $63 million in capital for the development of supportive housing projects throughout the state. OTDA will begin accepting applications for funding on June 30, 2014. This is an open-ended RFP, which means proposals will be accepted on a continual basis. You can read our complete overview of this RFP here.

The NYS Office of Mental Health also released an RFP for the development and operation of up to 154 units of Supported Housing in New York City. These units will house individuals who have a serious mental illness and meet a number of additional criteria. Applications for this RFP are due July 15 with a letter of intent due June 10.

Unified Funding Round Awards Announced

May.06.2014

NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has announced the capital awards for its 2013 Unified Funding Round, which allocates federal 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Housing Trust Fund dollars to affordable housing development projects.

Based on the Network’s preliminary analysis, the 2013 Unified Funding Round finances a total of 164 supportive housing units. This number represents a decrease from 2012, when 389 units saw funding. Supportive housing accounted for 8% of the 2,092 affordable units funded this year. In an average year, supportive housing comprises 17% of the units funded through the UFR. Much of this drop can be attributed to the forthcoming end of the New York/New York III Supportive Housing Agreement, a 10-year commitment that concludes next year.

Of the 37 projects funded, seven include supportive housing apartments. In total, Low Income Housing Tax Credits funded $2.3 million in supportive housing projects. Those funded include:

Oregon Study: Supportive Housing Improves Health, Saves Money

Apr.23.2014

A study released earlier this month reconfirms the economic and health benefits of supportive housing.

The report comes out of Oregon, where supportive housing has helped a group of formerly homeless individuals dramatically cut their healthcare expenses. It finds that tenants on Medicaid at Bud Clark Commons (BCC) averaged roughly $2,000 per month in healthcare costs in their year prior to housing. Once housed, that figure dropped to just $899 a month, a 55% decrease. Collectively, the 59 tenants studied at BCC reduced their Medicaid costs by more than $783,000 in just one year. You can read the full document here.

The report concludes:

“The average resident saw a reduction of over $13,000 in annual [Medicaid] claims, an amount greater than the estimated $11,600 it costs annually to house a resident at BCC. Importantly, this reduction in claims was maintained into and beyond the second year of residency, suggesting that supportive housing had a profound and ongoing impact on health care costs for those living at BCC.”

The Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) prepared the report, which is titled “Integrating Housing & Health.” You can read the full study here and a press clip on its findings in Affordable Housing Finance here. We urge you to share the latest report on the positive benefits of supportive housing!