By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Dec. 10, Housing Visions Unlimited, Inc. addressed the questions and concerns raised by several Burton Street area residents on Dec. 7 regarding The Landing at Burke Meadows — an affordable senior and family housing complex on 14.96 acres east of Burton Street.
The community members expressed particular concern regarding information that Housing Visions has applied for a NYS Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI) grant that would provide 10 units of permanent supportive housing to populations with mental illness, those fleeing domestic violence, and homeless youth ages 18-25. Support will be provided through a partnership with Community Action Program for Madison County, Inc. (CAP) — a community-based not-for-profit that has been serving low income and vulnerable families in Madison County since 1986.
Village Mayor Kurt Wheeler relayed the residents’ comments and inquiries about safety to Housing Visions President & CEO Ben Lockwood, Housing Visions Senior Project Manager Kelly Sweet, CAP Executive Director Antara Mitra, and Ken Craig, the former CEO (retired) of Housing Visions and a Cazenovia resident.
Lockwood compiled responses to the questions and provided the information to Wheeler to share.
Housing Visions also provided the mayor with a project summary.
The two sources provided the following information on the project and its developer:
Housing Visions is a Syracuse-based not-for-profit developer, general contractor and property manager with a mission to be the catalyst for sustainable positive change in neighborhoods through real estate development and community collaboration.
Housing Visions has successfully created over 1,600 units of housing throughout Upstate New York and Pennsylvania in cities of various sizes and communities as small as Richmondville, NY (population 2,412). None of the projects have been abandoned.
The company’s portfolio spans from low-income to market rate units, as well as units/projects serving special populations, such as veterans, seniors, the physically disabled, and survivors of domestic violence.
According to the project summary, The Landing at Burke Meadows is being created to address the unmet need of affordable rural housing options for both seniors and families in Cazenovia and the surrounding community in Madison County.
Rents for the units will range from “truly affordable” at 30-60 percent of area median income (AMI) to middle income at 60-90 percent of AMI.
Preliminary plans call for a large two-story senior building with multiple interior common areas like a library and large central gathering room, and multiple access points to safe, comfortable outdoor spaces and gardens.
The building will have approximately 33 one- and two-bedroom units and office space for Housing Visions.
The family units will be a mixture of two-, three- and four-bedroom units in four unit townhome-style buildings.
In response to community input, Housing Visions reduced the scope of the project from 70 to 49 total units. The original proposal included a 40 unit senior building, 30 units of family housing, and a clubhouse.
All of the buildings will be designed and built to earn the NYSERDA Energy Star Homes label and to meet the Enterprise Green Communities criteria.
The approximately $19 million project will require multiple sources of funding, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program administered by NYS Homes and Community Renewal to raise private equity, OTDA HHAP capital funding, and a handful of other public, private and state sources.
Construction is expected to begin in July 2021 and be completed in Dec. 2022.
Housing Visions and CAP will collaborate to identify and thoroughly screen applicants.
Housing Visions will staff the building 40 hours per week with a property manager and a maintenance supervisor and provide emergency maintenance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
CAP will provide social services for all residents and enhanced social work services to residents that CAP refers to the development.
A CAP program manager will supervise and three case managers will provide on-site services and have daily interactions with residents. One case manager will be available during business hours and after hours in case of emergencies. The other two case managers will be part-time and available in the evenings and on weekends.
“This staffing pattern will ensure that staff are available to offer support and assistance to accommodate different work and school schedules,” said Lockwood. “Staff will work flexible hours as much as possible to meet the needs of residents. In addition, residents will also be provided with contact information of the Mobile Crisis Team in Madison County for mental health crises after hours. The Mobile Crisis Team responds to individuals in crisis, over the phone or in person.”
The large building will be access controlled by the use of a key fob system. The building will also have cameras inside and at all exterior entrances.
The townhouses will be located on a new, well-lit public street.
All townhouse units have separate entrances with no shared spaces.
According to Lockwood, the safety of the families and senior residents is a priority.
“Working collaboratively Housing Visions and Madison County CAP are confident that we will deliver a high quality residential development that is a benefit and complement to the Village of Cazenovia,” he said. “Proactive Property Management and screening is just good business. It would be a poor business decision to include residents that upset quiet, peaceful, enjoyment of the units. Long-term tenants that enjoy their units is not only good for Cazenovia, it increases the bottom line and sustainability of the development.”
Housing Visions’ typical property management requirements include the following: income verification, previous landlord references for past five years, sex offender check, criminal background check and credit check.
The Landing at Burke Meadows is part of Housing Visions’ effort to de-stigmatize Serious Mental Illness (SMI).
Five of the 10 permanent supportive housing units will be dedicated to families and individuals with SMI.
Four of the 10 units will be for families with at least one child.
“By [setting aside] 20 percent of the units with enhanced services, we are better serving the other 80 percent of residents with services that they will be able to utilize,” said Lockwood. “One of the themes we heard throughout our approval process was a concern for various services and connections. Madison CAP brings those.”
CAP has been working with the homeless and housing vulnerable populations since 1992. The organization has experience providing both long-term and short-term case management and housing support.
On average, CAP serves 40 families with a mental health diagnosis every year.
According to CAP, all clients, including those with SMI, are housed in community settings and no client has ever turned violent.
CAP clients who will be referred to The Landing at Burke Meadows will undergo an intake process to make sure they are capable of community living and are not a danger to themselves or others.
Referrals will be made through the Single Point of Access (SPOA) process established by the Madison County Mental Health Department.
The SPOA team helps providers connect people with SMI to mental health services that can accommodate them.
The SPOA team of 20-30 providers meets monthly and/or as needed to discuss cases and address any needs. CAP also attends the meetings. The SPOA coordinator helps match individuals to specific programs and services before placement.
Any client that CAP refers will already be receiving medical care. In addition to CAP’s case managers, an individual will likely also have a Health Homes case manager, a peer support specialist, individual counseling, and/or a support group.
CAP case managers and SPOA will work to ensure that each referral is receiving the required medical care.
The Liberty Resources Crises team will be available for afterhours emergencies to provide crisis counselors, mental health engagement, intervention, and follow-up support. Services may include assessment, crisis intervention, supportive counseling, peer support specialist and referrals.
For additional information on Housing Visions, visit housingvisions.org.
To learn more about CAP, visit capmadco.org.
