Categories: New York State
08.27.2013
Awards will aid the development of six new supportive housing residences
Governor Cuomo has announced $22.2 million in capital funding awards to develop seven new housing programs across New York State. Six of the awards will aid the construction of supportive housing residences. The grants, administered through the NYS Office of Temporary Disability and Assistance (OTDA)’s Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP), will help create 469 units of supportive housing in Albany, Bronx, Kings, Monroe and Westchester Counties.
“Supportive housing is essential to breaking the cycle of homelessness for New York’s most vulnerable individuals and families,” Governor Cuomo said. “Increasing the supply of supportive housing units not only provides vital assistance to New Yorkers in need, but also improves the efficiency of Medicaid by reducing emergency room visits, hospitalizations and lengths of stay in long-term care facilities.”
All six supportive housing projects are being developed by Network members: CAMBA Housing Ventures, Concern for Independent Living, DePaul Properties, New Destiny Housing, Westhab and Support Ministries. The supportive housing awards range from $1.1 million to $6 million.
Among the awardees was Concern’s Norwood Terrace, a Bronx-based project expected for completion in 2016.
“Concern is delighted to receive this award from OTDA,” said Elizabeth Lunde, Concern’s Senior Associate Executive Director. “It will enable us to provide 58 units of much-needed housing and supportive services for homeless persons with psychiatric disabilities as well as high-quality affordable housing for an additional 57 low-income individuals and families in the Norwood section of the Bronx.”
Likewise, DePaul Properties will receive $3.2 million from the HHAP/Medicaid Redesign Team (HHAP/MRT) capital program. This funding will help DePaul create 33 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless people with disabilities who are high-cost users of Medicaid. A special target population is for the hearing impaired. The project is located in one of the nation’s highest-density deaf communities as a result of a nearby college and secondary school programs serving the deaf.
“DePaul has a long and proud history of helping people transition from homelessness into housing,” said DePaul Properties’ Vice President, Gillian Conde. “The HHAP grant will provide individual and families life changing opportunities of affordable supportive housing that stabilizes individuals while also building communities at the same time. When everyone has a home, we all prosper.”
As of now, $10 million in MRT funding remains for the development of new supportive housing. We at the Network particularly encourage our upstate providers to apply for this funding. To apply, see here.