Welcome to the February 2016 issue of
Network News
, the Supportive Housing Network of New York's monthly e-newsletter. You'll find lead articles on HSC's new report on the crisis within the social service sector, our upcoming annual conference, ribbon cuttings at Herkimer Street residence and Alan Epstein Apartments, a national award for Community Access' Steve Coe and lots of updates in the Comings and Goings sidebar. Thanks for reading!
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New Report from HSC: "New York Nonprofits in the Aftermath of FEGS: A Call to Action"
The central issues that led to its collapse are common across all nonprofits in the social service sector.
In the wake of the March 2015 collapse of Federation Employment and Guidance Services (FEGS), one of the largest social service providers in the sector, the
Human Services Council (HSC), which represents organizations across multiple social service sectors including supportive housing, sought to determine to what extent FEGS' demise was a unique event and to what extent it reflected major sustainability issues within the entire social service sector. The report, "New York Nonprofits in the Aftermath of FEGS: A Call to Action," determined that while FEGS faced its own challenges, the central issues that led to its collapse are common across all nonprofits in the social service sector, concluding that the sector as a whole is "in crisis."
Led by
Gordon J. Campbell, a former senior government official and former President and CEO of United Way of New York, the Commission consisted of 32 human services executives, civic and philanthropic leaders, former government officials, and other stakeholders with a vast array of knowledge concerning nonprofit management and oversight.
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Save the Date! The 16
th Annual Supportive Housing Conference Takes Place June 2
nd
At NYC's Marriott Marquis Hotel in midtown.
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| Images from the 2015 supportive housing conference. |
Come celebrate the great news: commitments from Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio to creating
35,000 units of supportive housing over the next fifteen years at the Network's 16th Annual New York State Supportive Housing Conference. The twin commitments are FAR AND AWAY the largest commitments to supportive housing in the model's history.
The Conference will be all day Thursday, June 2
nd, 2016 at the Marriott Marquis in midtown Manhattan. We will be updating our website, opening online registration and sending you notices about panels and speakers in the coming weeks, but wanted you to mark your calendars now. Check out videos, PowerPoints, and photos from last year's conference
here.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Herkimer Street Residence Cuts the Ribbon
The Bridge's largest residence to date brings the total number of individuals/families housed to 863!
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| Cutting the ribbon at Herkimer Street Residence. |
Some 70 partners and well-wishers gathered in the community space at Herkimer Street Residence to celebrate the opening of the Bridge's newest residence, home to a mix of formerly homeless individuals and young adults as well as low-income families. The beautiful new building is the Bridge's largest residence to date and brings the total number of individuals/families housed to 863!
Bridge Board President
Cynthia Wainwright acted as MC, introducing Reverend
Sharon Williams who blessed the new building. Bridge CEO
Susan Wiviott pointed out that Herkimer Street Residence "solves the problems we've all been reading about in the papers: homelessness, youth homelessness and the need for affordable housing," as the 53 unit residence provides housing for young adults, individuals coping with homelessness and mental illness as well as low-income families. Ms. Wiviott also noted that the 35,000 units committed to by the Mayor and Governor would be created "in increments of 30, 40 and 50 units" with the aid of dozens of dedicated partners.
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Dedication and Ribbon Cutting for
Alan Epstein Apartments
A long-time champion for supportive housing is the namesake for a new supportive/affordable housing residential complex in Brooklyn.
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| Cutting the Ribbon at Alan Epstein Apartments |
On January 27th, the affordable and supportive housing community gathered in Spring Creek, Brooklyn for the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony of the Alan Epstein Apartments (formerly known as Gateway Elton Street Phase II), a development complex featuring three multi-use buildings and beautifully landscaped outdoor spaces. Alan Epstein Apartments is the second of three phases of affordable, mixed use, and energy efficient developments by the Hudson Companies, Related Retail LP and CAMBA. This complex will consist of 175 affordable apartments, 30 of which will be supportive, as well as 24,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and community facilities. All units will be affordable to households earning between 40% and 60% of AMI.
The complex's name honors the memory of
Alan Epstein, a cherished member of the supportive housing community, who passed away in 2013. Alan was a lawyer who fought tirelessly on behalf of his clients as a partner at Hirschen Singer & Epstein, LLP, and invented new ways of developing supportive housing, including approaches that have since become the norm.
Gathered for the celebrations were representatives from HUD, HPD, HDC, OMH, the Brooklyn Borough President, Enterprise, Wells Fargo Bank and Hirschen Singer & Epstein. The Hudson Companies'
Aaron Koffman acted as emcee and co-developer
Joanne Oplustil of CAMBA was also on hand.
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Steve Coe of Community Access Wins National Award for Mental Health Advocacy
Wins
the 2016 National Council for Behavioral Health's Individual Achievement in Advocacy award.
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| Community Access CEO Steve Coe speaks at a rally on CIT Training for the NYPD. |
Long-time Network member (and former Board member) Steve Coe, CEO of Community Access, won the 2016 National Council for Behavioral Health's Individual Achievement in Advocacy award. Selected from over 1,000 candidates, the award recognizes Mr. Coe's achievements in improving the lives of people living with mental illnesses and addictions, specifically through increasing public understanding of behavioral health and advocating for public policy reforms.
"Steve's honor is
very well-deserved. He's contributed an extraordinary amount
to improving the lives of chronically homeless individuals living with mental health issues. And he's been a core member of our supportive housing community and the Supportive Housing Network of New York since the very beginning, nearly three decades ago," said Laura Mascuch, the Executive Director of the Supportive Housing Network of NY.
The Council cited three landmark achievements:
- Mr. Coe's commitment to improving police responses to individuals experiencing emotional distress, via the implementation of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for NYPD officers, in partnership with local mental health providers is one of the key policy reforms that he fought for and won. Hundreds of agencies and individuals joined an alliance calling New York City to bring CIT training to the NYPD. These efforts resulted in training for 5,500 officers and to developing diversion centers where the NYPD can bring people experiencing psychiatric distress, keeping them out of jails and hospitals.
- Mr. Coe's leadership of Community Access to become one of the first New York City agencies to embrace mental health consumers - called "peers" - as members of its workforce, with a goal of having 51% of staff being mental health consumers. In 1995, under Mr. Coe's initiative, the organization founded Howie the Harp Advocacy Center, an innovative peer-run program that prepares people in mental health recovery for employment in human services. The program has graduated more than 1,000 peers.
- In 2012, Mr. Coe's spearheaded the creation and rollout of a citywide alternatives to hospitalization initiative, by opening New York City's first crisis respite center and first peer-operated support line. These models are poised to improve health outcomes for thousands and save millions of tax dollars within the Medicaid Managed Care system.
I'm delighted and humbled by this honor from the National Council," said Mr. Coe. "I would also like to acknowledge and express my gratitude to all my colleagues who have enthusiastically participated in our many advocacy campaigns. I share this recognition with all of them." Mr. Coe's $10,000 prize will go to support Community Access's advocacy programs.
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The Bulk Energy Procurement Initiative (BEPI) Hosts Workshop
I
n partnership with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
The Bulk Energy Procurement Initiative (BEPI) is hosting an Energy Education Workshop in partnership with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. March 10
th . The workshop will focus on how supportive and affordable housing building owners can purchase natural gas and electricity in bulk from NYS Energy Supply Companies (ESCOs). Some eighteen supportive and affordable housing providers are involved with BEPI and have saved $700,000 in energy costs.
The workshop will be held on March 10th between 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at the Bronx Borough President's Office, 851 Grand Councourse, 9th Floor, Room 915 (C bank elevator), Bronx, NY 10451.
RSVP: [email protected] by March 8, 2016
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Network
Jobs Board
Check out these job openings and many others on our Jobs Board. Network members can post their employment opportunities for free!
Executive Director
for Homeless Services United, Inc.
Service Coordinator for Community Access
Case Manager - HRA Bronx SS for Comunilife
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Upcoming Events
The 16th Annual Supportive Housing Conference
Save the Date: June 2, 2016
Time: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Location: The New York Marriott Marquis
Address:
Details to come soon!
Trauma and its Aftermath
Date: March 8, 2016
Time: 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: CUCS
Address: 198 East 121 Street, 5th Floor, NYC 10035
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News Clips
In a Bright Spot, Homeless Veterans Get a Hand Up, in the
Wall Street Journal.
This Lego House You Can Live In, in the
Wall Street Journal.
Next Steps the State Must Take to Create and Maintain Affordable Housing, by Urban Pathways' Nicole Bramstedt, in
the Gotham Gazette.
Homeless Young People of NY, Overlooked and Underserved, in
the New York Times.
CSH Examines States' Supportive Housing Policies, in
AM New York.
For Ex-Homeless, Housing that's More than Shelter, video featuring the Network's Executive Director Laura Mascuch from the
Wall Street Journal.
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Comings and Goings
Christy Parque, Executive Director of Homeless Services United for the past nine years and longtime ally of the Network and our members will be leaving in early March to assume the position of CEO at the Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies.
Ms. Parque has worked tirelessly with
providers to increase their participation in evaluating and creating sound homeless and housing policy. She has represented the sector in critical task forces and meetings with high level state and city officials and helped to restore or prevent over $50 million in cuts to programs. The Network will greatly miss her in her past role but looks forward to partnering with her in her new position.
Jennifer Flynn, formerly Executive Director of VOCAL-NY, has left her position. VOCAL-NY's new Co-Executive Directors are Jeremy Saunders, formerly VOCAL-NY's Lead Organizer for the past eight years and Alyssa Aguilera
,
formerly VOCAL-NY's Political Director for the past three
years.
National Low Income Housing Coalition named veteran affordable housing policy expert and advocate Diane Yentel as the Coalition's new President and CEO. She will replace Sheila Crowley who is retiring in April.
JoAnne Ryan resigned as President and CEO of Volunteers of America, and Jeri Rombaut, VoA's Chief Financial Officer of five years, will serve as the Interim President and CEO.
Moira Tashjian has been named Associate Commissioner for the Adult Community Care Group within the Division of Adult Services of the NYS Office of Mental Health.
After six and a half years with CSH most recently as senior policy analyst, Peggy Bailey recently joined the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) as the Director of their new Health Integration Project. At CBPP, Ms. Bailey will identify opportunities to improve health care policy to: better link with housing programs, serve those involved in the criminal justice system, improve quality and access to behavioral health services and incorporate human services needed by vulnerable populations.
The NYU Furman Center announced the appointment of Jessica Yager as its new Executive Director. She succeeds Mark Willis, who agreed to step into the role two years ago in an interim capacity following the departure of Director Vicki Been as Commissioner of HPD in the de Blasio administration. Mr. Willis will return to his work as the Furman Center's Senior Policy Fellow.
Byron McKinney, formerly Housing Coordinator for Erie County's Dept. of Mental Health, accepted a position with Evergreen Health Services as Senior Director of Housing Development and Support Services.
Moses Gates, formerly of ANHD, is now Director of Community Planning and Design for the Regional Plan Association.
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