Grant Application – Special Needs Housing Project
Submitted by:
David Fuks, Cedar Sinai Park
Marvin Kuperstein, Jewish Family and Child Service
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
In the Portland community, as is true across Oregon and the United States, the number of adults with disabilities is continuing to grow. Additionally, as deinstitutionalization has become a mainstream value in our society, we are seeing more and more young adults with disabling conditions continuing to live with their families into adulthood. As these young adults mature, so do their parents and support systems. There frequently becomes a point when the ability of the family of origin support system reaches a limit and a community based resource must be developed. Currently, adequate housing for adults with disabilities is the most significant concern as resources are sought.
For the last 7 years, Jewish Family and Child Service (JFCS) has managed a program known as TASK (Treasuring, Accepting, and Supporting Kehillah [Community]). In its history, 93 families have been served by the TASK Program. TASK services have included services to children, teens, adults, and educational and social support in the community. Currently, TASK maintains contact with over 250 individuals and organizations. The program provides educational support to religious schools providing them with training as well as conducting in class programming for about 100 students a year and their parents. The adult program, known as Tikvah (hope), provides social experiences and leisure time activities for 22 active members. The individuals involved in the Tikvah Program all struggle with mental and emotional disabilities or developmental disabilities. In addition to the social support and family support provided for Tikvah participants, TASK also provides training and information to assist adults with disabilities to be as independent as possible in the community. Over the years TASK family members have come to identify JFCS as a primary case management and social support resource for TASK participants. These family members have been advocating strongly for the development of a supported housing project to assist their adult children in making the transition into a more independent life. They recognize that this transition must be made into a context of on-going support where their special needs are accounted for. TASK family members, including the adults needing service, have met in an organized fashion with JFCS for over 5 years to determine needs, discuss housing options and advocate for themselves. As a result of this advocacy and of its strong clinical knowledge of this population, JFCS approached Cedar Sinai Park (CSP) to discuss a partnership between the two organizations in order to develop appropriate housing with support services.
For the last 86 years, CSP has been a provider of housing and healthcare services to elders and the infirm in the Jewish and greater Portland community. In 2000, the Board of Directors of Cedar Sinai Park approved the addition of special needs housing for the adult disabled population such as that identified by TASK in its strategic plan. The Board of CSP was motivated to move forward with a collaboration with JFCS because it recognized a growing need among underserved community families. Particularly, the Board became interested in supporting aging family systems that were beginning to struggle with the need to provide for a disabled adult member as elders in the family began to also need services. Additionally, the TASK population was seen as a natural expansion of focus under Cedar Sinai Park’s mission to provide services to elders and the infirm. CSP recognized that community demographics are continuing to change as the Jewish population ages at a higher rate than the general population (18% vs. 12%) and, as continued medical and social support grows to allow disabled adults to remain in the mainstream. As CSP adopted its strategic plan language, the JFCS Board also adopted language supporting this collaboration in the year 2000. The two organizations have continued planning for the development of services for this population and are now ready to move forward together in seeking federal and local resources in order to realize their joint goal.
PROPOSED PROGRAM:
Building: The development of a HUD 811 housing project is proposed to meet the needs of 20 individuals. Twenty individuals can be served as the maximum under current regulations for the chronically mentally ill. The proposed housing will provide 18 apartment units, 16 of which will be 1-bedroom units, and 2 of which will be 2-bedroom units. It is anticipated that the building will be built as a 2-floor structure with one floor dedicated to meeting the housing needs of the developmentally disabled and another floor dedicated to meeting the needs of the chronically mental ill. Developmental disabilities include but are not limited to those with Down’s syndrome, mental retardation and pervasive developmental disabilities (including Asperger’s Syndrome and autism.) Chronic mental illness includes but is not limited to those with anxiety disorders, manic depression or bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. It is noteworthy to recognize that the target population of the TASK’s Tikvah Program is made up of adults with either developmental disabilities or chronic mental illness. These adults are high enough in their functional abilities to be able to remain in the homes of their families of origin and do not require the more institutional approach of group homes and residential treatment. They are capable of independent living in a system that provides them with case management and social support.
The Housing Project will be a 12,500 square foot building built reflecting the following costs: $196.00 construction costs per square foot based on 1-bedroom units at 540 square feet, 2-bedroom units at 800 square feet and a common area including office space, a community room and kitchen at 1000 square feet. Total estimated building costs will be $2,500,395 in 2007 dollars. Costs for architectural permits, project management, furniture fixtures and equipment, and other soft costs bring the total development costs to $3,017,375. HUD reimbursement is anticipated at $1,854,022, the community portion for total construction would be $1,163,353 (See pages 6 & 7). In addition, land costs would need to be assimilated through the dedication of a small portion, approximately one acre, of the frontage property along the Beaverton Hillsdale Highway on the campus of Cedar Sinai Park; the approximate value of this property is estimated to be $350,000 per acre.
Staff: A small reimbursement for management of the facility and for its maintenance will be provided through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are estimated at approximately $83,000 per year (See page 8) during the first full year of operation and will provide for on-site management as well as contracting costs for accounting, building maintenance, grounds maintenance, and other operations through CSP. Case management will be supervised by the JFCS TASK Program; it is anticipated that 1.5 FTE case management positions will be created to provide 60 hours of on-site service per week. These staff will be paraprofessionals operating under the supervision of the TASK Program Director. They will provide case management, skills training, socialization and activity programs and assistance with questions from residents and their families. Medication management and additional services, such as individual behavioral support and optional housekeeping through the JFCS Lifeline Program, would be provided on an as-needed basis. Funding for individualized services will be provided through grant resources being sought and through funds made available on an individual basis through the individual’s special needs trust. Fees for case management services will be based on prevailing rates and a sliding fee scale based on the resident’s needs and ability to pay. These positions will be paid at a rate of $15.00 per hour; estimated salary costs for the 2 positions will be $46,980, approximately $12,000 in benefit costs are anticipated bringing personnel costs to a total of $58,980. An additional $12,000 in materials and services is also anticipated to cover program, telephone and office supply expenses for a total of $70,980 (See page 9). Approximately $2,000,000 in endowment will be needed to assure that the funding for these positions is maintained on an on-going basis.
Costs for the coordination of the TASK Program are an on-going component of the JFCS operational budget; it is assumed that these costs will remain a component of the JFCS budget. JFCS will consider the funding of this position as a contribution to the match of the project.
It should be noted that this project does not include the creation of a live-in staff position. The expectation for eligible residents would be that they can manage independently within the parameters of the support made available under the project budget. The presence of a property manager and other building and maintenance costs will be covered through a property management fee made available as a portion of the subsidies provided by HUD for each of the units. These operating costs are adjusted annually by the federal government and are subject for on-going negotiation between the provider and HUD.
Eligibility: Eligibility for housing in this proposed project will be managed in compliance with Federal Fair Housing Regulations; participation will therefore be open to eligible members of the TASK Program and others from the community who may meet eligibility criteria. Admission into the housing will be based on meeting the clinical definitions for diagnosis of either developmental disability or chronic mental illness and the income expectations regarding eligibility for HUD housing. Residents, while legally considered low-income, may have a special needs trust, which can be used for a variety of services as mentioned above. Resident rents will be subsidized by the federal government. HUD requires that 30% of resident income be applied to housing expenses. Our expectation is that residents must be at least 18 years of age and able to live within the perimeters of the case management services being provided.
Planning Process: As has been mentioned earlier, JFCS and CSP Boards have expressed support for this project in their on-going strategic planning work. Implementation of this project will be contingent on the raising of the locally required match dollars to meet both construction and staffing expenses.
Building design has not yet begun; it is anticipated that there will be 2 phases of initial design. During the first phase, approximately $7,500 in architectural costs will be required to develop schematic drawings. Consultation with the Housing Development Center (HDC) on this first phase will cost approximately $10,000. HDC is a not-for-profit developer and consultant in the area of low-income housing who will be engaged in providing technical support through the design and development process. Approximately $2,000 in expense for environmental review is anticipated and approximately $5,000 in survey expense is anticipated. Total phase 1 expenses are anticipated at $25,000. The second phase of the project development process will involve creation of a new legal entity that will be the owner and operator of the new project, architectural work, permits, zoning review, appraisals, and accounting and consultation costs. Phase 2 expenses are estimated at between $200,000 & $300,000.
Both disabled participants and family members involved in the TASK Program will be involved in the design charettes with the architects and other staff in planning for the design of this project.
As has been mentioned, a new single asset entity is legally required by HUD in order to create and fund this new project. This entity will reflect the participation of JFCS and Cedar Sinai Park in the project. In addition, participation of a major funder can be considered for the Board of this new entity.
Evaluation: The project will be evaluated on an on-going basis in 4 different areas: operational and financial success, level of utilization for the projected population being served, including the length of stay; and resident and family member satisfaction with support services being provided. Methodology of evaluation will be determined by the Board of the new entity once it has been created.
Volunteer Opportunities: TASK has a history of using community volunteers in its programming and would anticipate increasing those opportunities with this project. TASK would welcome volunteers from NCJW in this project in order to assure its success. As has been mentioned earlier, a volunteer opportunity can exist on the Board of this new single-asset entity.
Funding Requests: $1.5 million dollars is requested from the National Council of Jewish Woman for the development of this project. Other funds for this project will be projected from the Kuni Foundation and from individual donors, a number of whom may be TASK family members. We have had two preliminary contacts with the Kuni Foundation which has been very promising. This new foundation has recently been activated and has welcomed our ideas.
Timeline: The application for a HUD Project will be made after matching funds are secured. It is our hope to see this project initiated within 5 years.
