We are proud of our residents!

Diana Stolfo, a resident at Orchard Commons has become an outspoken advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities.  She was recently invited to appear on NBC Nightly News along with the National Down Syndrome Society Vice President of Marketing Julie Cevallos to talk about World Down Syndrome Day.  Diana is a featured speaker at the event at the United Nations; speaking about achieving her dream of living independently. Click here to see the NBC video.

Expanding to Plainsboro

By Eamon Bencivengo
Despite the ominous Ides of March, on March 15^th I accompanied Tom and Shari down to the pastoral landscape of Plainsboro, NJ.  Our task for the day was to meet with the Plainsboro Director of Planning and the Borough Administrator to discuss the potential for constructing a special needs housing project in their municipality.  Our interest in Plainsboro arose in the same manner of many of our other projects: through the collaboration with an active parent of a special needs child living in the community.  Maintaining a healthy collaboration with such parents is a vital component of creating a successful project because municipalities are much more receptive to approving the project if it is supported by local taxpayers.  Therefore, as Tom, Shari, and I walked into the Plainsboro Town Hall, we were accompanied by the mother of a special needs child.  Our meeting with the Borough Administrator and the Director of Planning was very positive, as they were impressed with the renderings of our previous projects and our reputable resume.  Surprisingly, however, we were informed that Plainsboro has large areas of protected land and therefore does not have many parcels of land available which are suitable for new construction.  Yet after the meeting, Tom, Shari, and I identified a few properties potentially suitable for rehabilitation.  Also, the parent who accompanied us to the meeting located some sites of open land that could suit our project needs. So, despite the minor setback, the potential for a special needs housing project in Plainsboro is still strong!  

Defending our Home Application

By Eamon Bencivengo

On Tuesday March 12^th, Shari and I drove south to Monmouth County.  We were not headed to the beach, but rather to Freehold to defend our HOME Application to the Monmouth County Planning Board.  Back in January we had submitted an application for the Monmouth County HOME Grant Program to secure funding for our upcoming special needs housing project in Colts Neck.  With our presentation time set for 1:15, Shari had made plans with Vince Scanelli, who was to accompany us in the presentation, to meet for lunch at noon to prepare and review our materials.  Vince is the President of Someone Special Needs You, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to providing social activities for special needs children.  Someone Special Needs You, Inc. is currently designated as the owner of the Colts Neck Project and will maintain ownership after its completion.

            Over sandwiches at a local café, we reviewed our notes and speaking points for the presentation.  By 1:15 we were standing in front of a ten-person review committee.  With the project renderings mounted behind us, Shari answered questions regarding the development of the project, while Vince educated the committee on the desperate need for permanent housing for special needs individuals.  As I glanced around the room, I saw several positive and interested expressions on the faces of the committee.  Hopefully, those expressions will mean that we will be awarded funding for the project!

The Suburbanite Interview

By Jenai - United Way Housing Coordinator

“I’m so proud of him.”  That’s what Brian’s mom said after he finished an interview with The Suburbanite earlier this week.  The paper interviewed two of the residents living at The Roberts House in order to paint a picture for local residents where group homes will be rehabbed as part of the DCA/DDD Special Needs Housing Partnership Loan Program.  The converted ranch homes will house 4 individuals with developmental disabilities.

Brian and John spoke about what it’s been like to be living on their own for the past 16 months. They also talked about how they share chores, and what types of hobbies they enjoy when they aren’t working.

The BCUW/Madeline Partnership is collaborating with Advancing Opportunities to rehab a second home.  Advancing Opportunities will be the service provider, helping the new residents to integrate into the community.

Look for the article and photographs in the paper this week.   

A first time for everything...

By Eamon Bencivengo

There is a first time for everything.  Last week I experienced my first submission of a county HOME grant application.  Although funded by the federal government, the HOME Program is administered by states and counties.  For instance, New Jersey’s Department of Community Affairs allocates the HOME dollars given to the state, while county HOME dollars are administered by county community development offices.  In generating funding streams for our projects, we submit applications to both the Department of Community Affairs and to the community development office of the county in which we are developing our project.  While the submission of two separate applications is manageable, the submission of the HOME application represents a challenge because no two such applications are alike.  The state application is different than those published by the counties, while the county applications vary from county to county.  Thus, it was last week that I was filling out the HOME application for Monmouth County; the county which encompasses our future special needs housing development in the town of Colts Neck.  With the help of our Housing Services Coordinator Jenai Gaccione, we carefully filled out the budgetary information required in the application.  Gina Plotino, our Director of Communications, also contributed to the task by supplying some of the many important documents which are required to be attached to the application.  Although we still have some more documents to send to the Monmouth County Community Development Office, we were able to submit the application prior to the deadline.  The Colts Neck Project has taken its first step to completion!                   

The Impact of the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund

By Tom Tornoto
President

On Wednesday I will take part in an important strategy session with others throughout the state who feel as passionately as I about renewing the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund.  Since it was signed into law in 2005, the Trust has built homes for over 2,000 families and individuals with special needs who would otherwise be languishing in costly institutional care. 

The impact of our housing starts is far reaching.  Not only are individuals with disabilities living independently and with the supportive services they need to thrive but, in the process, 8800 construction jobs were created as well as another1600 jobs in a variety of fields that continue on.  Over the last 5 years, that has brought to New Jersey and our local communities over $88 million in real estate sales and income and property taxes.

There’s real promise in these numbers, and renewing this vital source of funding makes sense on so many levels.  Supportive housing is not just a roof and a bed, but a cost-effective affordable housing solution that is changing lives for the better.

The Special Needs Housing Trust Fund

By Tom Toronto
President of Bergen County's United Way

Bergen County’s United Way is building some Very Special Homes© for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Financing under the auspices of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Special Needs Housing Trust Fund has been instrumental in making that possible.   

The Special Needs Housing Trust Fund was signed into law in 2005. It authorized the issuance of $200 million of bonds to create housing for people with special needs and has helped to create quality housing with needed supportive services for over 2,000 families and individuals throughout the state. Unfortunately, the Special Needs Trust Fund has now run out of money.

I am part of a statewide advocacy effort to renew funding for supportive housing.  On Wednesday, February 15th the group will hold a Strategy Meeting.  Save the date and join us at the State House, Annex Room 4 in Trenton from 10 AM to noon.  Together we can surely find a permanent source of financing for this crucial funding stream.  Save the date and join us on February 15th.